


Diverging at the Point We Met

by macabrecabra



Series: Overwatch Rising [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Acceptance, Action Scenes, Blood and Injury, Bring a box of tissues, Brother Angst, Feelings of isolation, M/M, Platonic friendships, Shenanigans, Team Building, but it will be big once it finally gets started, guilt and grief, long chapters, platonic friendships for days, relationship building, slow build so don't expect instant ship, tasteful nsfw content, there is sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-06-09 00:26:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 181,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6881806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macabrecabra/pseuds/macabrecabra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it is the smallest interactions, the barest hint of understanding that paves the way to the strangest of relationships. A run in with Talon and Reaper, for Genji, was suppose to be just a routine engagement as Overwatch began to rise once more. One point though, was about to lead to more questions, confusion, and a heaping helping of trouble for the younger Shimada.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> A strange pairing, but bare with me, just really want to write this story out! It has ten chapters planned and a slow build sort of relationship. Nothing to rush! It is rated M for future content in terms of intimacy so be on the look out! Might change the rating when that happens. Better safe than sorry!
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy this strange brainchild of mine and stick with me to the end of this story c:

Acceptance was the final stage of grief, but the bitter ache of nostalgia and memory would always remain. That, however, was just part of accepting who and what he was now, Genji supposed.

Some things in life had to be given up to move on and to begin to heal in body, soul, and mind. His master, Zenyatta, had said it was best not to linger too much on the past and to keep one's sights instead on the present. By focusing on the present, one could more easily keep their footing on their path into the future at the very least. All of these points of wisdom Genji had listened to and taken to heart, using them to help focus his own mediation as he learned to accept his new form and be more comfortable with his new state of being, but there was only so much that could be let go. Being away from the monastery, there was always far too many familiar shades of the past that brought with them old pangs of longing that were harder to ignore. 

The busy streets of the city echoed in the park despite the more reclusive nature of the area. The sounds of cars moving back and forth, the neon lights rising just beyond the darkened copses of trees bathing the city in a garish green and pink glow, and the sounds of merriment carried even this far to where Genji sat cross legged on a stone bench. The cyborg could easily just have left to find some better area to meditate, but staying near the city center for a mission meant making due with what was available.

There was almost an irony to how much Genji wished to keep away from the sounds of a vibrant night. Long ago, that city night life had been as much a part of him as his own cybernetic parts were now. The laughter and long nights of passion still lingered, phantom touches that Genji could still imagine he felt, and the wasted hours spending the time frivolously without a care in the world. Despite everything that happened, some things simply would never change deep down inside. A tiger could no sooner change its strips than a human could of their nature. At times Genji longed to go back to those days but knew that feeling no longer existed for him. Not now. Not when he was different and out of place now.

The cyborg silently lifted his head, the visor flashing as he quickly tracked the voices nearest to him to a tea house at the edge of the parks property where a noisy group was discussing plans for the night. All of them were fully organic still and looked completely in place where they were. A whole night of entertainment to look forward to. Genji turned his head away, hunching over some and heaving a deep sigh he didn't need to take. Breathing wasn't really an issue anymore but a habit was a habit he supposed. Some things of living still lingered. Perhaps it was all just muscle memory at this point to keep breathing as it were or just a habit he picked up to remind himself he was still alive.

He may have accepted his body, but at times like this, hearing of plans for a night on the town, a round of KTV with drinks and a generally laid back life free from any sort of responsibility,the ache returned and without any distraction other than attempted meditation, it was an almost unbearable sense of isolation. 

Slowly Genji moved to stand up, making a conscious effort to take his time as he did, stretching out as he did so. There was no rush for anything this evening. The comm had been silent much to Genji's slight frustration. A distraction from his thoughts this night were exactly what he needed. The cyborg could have easily taken a route through the city unseen but tonight he wished to perhaps feel a little less isolated. Just a bit.

The city was one of the “smaller” cities of the world in the southeast of Asia. A place with an underground that Geni had already thoroughly investigated for hints of Talon activity. He wouldn't even be here if it wasn for the rumor Winston had picked up and was sure there was something going on. Whatever city this was called, there was something going on here somewhere that had the attention of the shadowy organization. 

Genji just wished they were perhaps a bit more activity for him to exercise his skills against rather than being left to his own thoughts, isolated in a thriving city with a very small robotic population. Nimbly he scaled one of the pagodas in the park, getting to the highest eeves before leaping along the branches of the small trees to reach the edge of the park, and from there, starting to climb the nearby buildings. Keeping out of sight was key to the operation. If Talon was here, without an Overwatch agent present, there was a greater chance for a mistake to be made or some sort of misstep on their part. 

Perhaps even, a way to gleam some insight on what the greater plan of Talon even was. 

Traveling from rooftop to rooftop though always made Genji feel like a criminal and like he had to hide away from society. Not perhaps the best of feeling when he was doing his best to try and come to terms with what he was now. Silently he came to a halt, balancing on the edge of the current apartment building he was on, peering down at the street. Below, crowds of people moved by without a care in the world, everyone blending into one mass. There was no worries other than the usual day to day cares of living most likely. Genji wished for a moment he could just mingle in a crowd without being stared at like some sort of mythical creature. Everywhere he went there were stares like he was an animal in a zoo. Looks of disdain or sympathy, neither of which were wanted. It was best to keep out of sight before he could return to Overwatch's makeshift headquarters. There, at least, there was a slight sense of belonging.

Like a blessing from above, the comm unit flared up and Winston's voice came in loud and clear, “Genji, we've got movement. Seems there is some sort of armed robbery close to your location. I don't know if it is Talon, per say, but seems they targeted a rather large ammo cache. Sending coordinates now,”

Genji didn't even wait for more information, leaping forward, already in motion as he moved across the street. A few pedestrians looked up, pointing as Genji climbed up the side of the building in a blur of motion before leaping over the ledge and onto the roof, “Not a target that would be high on the hit list of the local criminal organizations. They are far too small to concern themselves with such a target, but seems an odd choice given Talon's past,” Genji commented as he kept moving, a blur of green and silver under the hazy skies of the city's bright night lights. 

“It is odd but it may be them. The facility itself is odd. It claims to be just a simple ammo research facility but the encryptions around it hint at something more. Such an out of the way city could mean a place to set up something some people wouldn't want to get out,” Winston responded. There was a faint sound of keys clacking before Winston spoke again, his voice a little more concerned, “here were some anomalous readings Athena has in the past associated with Reaper whom we know has dealings with Talon,” Winston responded, a tinge of worry to his voice, “Just be careful,”

“I will. It will be interesting to meet this avenging wraith. He's left quiet the impression it seems,” Genji moved forward, leaping off the rooftop to another, pulling himself into a roll and already in motion again as he sprung to his feet, “Reaper will not find me easy prey for his hunt to sate some misplaced revenge,”

The coordinates Winston had sent were easy enough to pinpoint and in no time at all, the young Shimada found himself crouching within sight of the facility. The front of the building remained unharmed although sealed tight and it seemed the point of entry had been through the roof. There was the whirl of a helicopter nearby, a black machine with no markings nad no doubt some sort of covert vehicle being used by Talon. It was a lot of precaution for a simple strike which for Genji, just confirmed Winston's fears that there was something bigger taking place. A quick sweep of the building was all Genji needed before he was moving quickly to the point of entry, peering down into the lobby. There were only a few guards, armed to the teeth keeping an eye on the lobby. The local security was already messily taken care of. Grimly, Genji slid a hand to the hilt of his sword, his form hissing as it locked, ready for action. Every muscle and synthetic synaptic coiled, ready for action.

Genji dropped into the building through one of the blasted in skylights, landing light on his feet, the lights along his form flaring up. Before the guards could even turn to regard the sudden threat in their midst, a deadly spread of shurikens was launched, catching two guards quickly. The others were already trying to turn around faster, weapons coming up.

The gesture was almost comically slow to Genji's enhanced reflects and in mere moments, he had dashed forward, not losing his momentum as he moved to take out the would be guards. More agents rose , giving cries of alarm only to have their words cut short. Only when the last one was felled did Genji survey the scene. None of the hits had been lethal. Years of training made it easy enough to simply disable combatants without killing. A few of the early guards taken down by shurikens groaned, pinned rather firmly to the wall. The local authorities would be hear soon enough to haul away and question the would-be robbers. Overwatch would, of course, be the silent assistance that would go unsung given their status as being fugitives somewhat. 

The cyborg turned his head to regard the hallway ahead, carefully making his way ahead now that the immediate threat was taken care of. He paused to crouch down to one of the fallen agents, pushing them onto their back to look at the ensign on their uniform “Your hunch was right Winston. This is a Talon strike,” Genji murmured, opening the comm channel again.

“I hate it when I'm right about these things,” Winston murmured, “Any hints as to what they are after?”

“Not so far,” Genji commented, carefully turning a corner to reveal another hallway of office doors, although at the far end, a pair of double doors that seemed the entrance to a lab had been blasted in, “But I think there is more than just ammo being stored in this place. Appears to be labs and offices more akin to the look of a research facility than a storage facility,” Genji paused as he looked around a smashed up room, parts of robotic entities scattered around, “Most of the automated defenses seemed to have been rather viciously disposed of,”

“The security on the place is more than what it appears on the outside,” Winston murmured over the comm, “And looks like our friends got a head start on us. Whatever they want, let's make sure they don't get it. Any sign of Reaper?”

Genji stepped forward, moving to another short hallway leading to a pair of double doors leading to a larger lab. He paused at the savagely kicked in doors, carefully peering in to scope out the area, “ Not yet, but I'm sure I'll run into-”

It was only the superhuman reflexes of the cyborg that caused him to jerk his head back, the bullet whizzing past to bury itself in the metal of the wall behind where his head had been mere seconds ago. Genji snorted, “I think I just found him. I'll comm you back in a few,”

The comm was shut down before Winston could respond as Genji quickly moved into the doorway, leaping into the room and pulling into a tight roll as shots were fired. The first two went wide and the third nearly clipped the shoulder of the cyborg. The forth was knocked away as Genji got his feet under him again, moving to close the space between him and his attacker. Reaper stood, his face hidden behind a mask, already lining up the next shots, following after Genji as the cyborg skillfully ducked and weaved before getting behind cover.

A pointless move in hindsight, Genji realized, his left hand flicking to bring shurikens to bare, only for a sudden eruption of black smog to appear before him as Reaper materialized before him, both barrels of the gun trained on Genji's chest, “Dumb move tin can,” 

The voice was deep with little inflection, almost a monotone with how much emotion it lacked. The slight ripple of anger moved through the cyborg as he kicked out hard, both hands reaching back to clucth the top of the cover, back flipping over the cover with one hand as he threw a barrage of shurikens at Reaper The shots intended for Genji's chest and to put him out of commission slammed into the metal of the overturned desk Genji had been using for cover harmlessly. For his part, Reaper barely managed to get out of the way of Genji's counter-attack, dropping back. One though had torn a nice, neat hole in the cloak the black clad mercenary wore. Those empty, cold eye sockets of the mask burned into the cyborg with a sense of loathing that honestly confused Genji more than intimidated him. Reaper was not someone he knew, as far as he knew. Whatever reason he held any sort of hate for Overwatch was beyond Genji, and frankly, unimportant. The mercenary before him was a killer and more soulless than any so called “machine”. 

A deft kick sent a piece of a broken laboratory table flinging in Reaper's direction, forcing the mercenary to shift again, becoming a living shadow, darting out of the way and climbing up to a flanking position. The cyborg tracked his movements, already on the move to be there when the mercenary made his move to materialize again.

Metal shrieked against metal as Genji swung just as Reaper reformed, the mercenary pivoting quickly to bring one of his pistols up, managing to block the blade as the other one lined up for a shot. Using the momentum of his blow, Genji easily vaulted the mercenary, the shot missing completely as he landed behind Reaper, a few steps away.

“Not bad...for a machine,” Reaper growled out, whirling around as he fired off a barrage of bullets. 

“Not bad yourself, for a corpse,” Genji retorted, keeping on the move as the incoming bullets ricocheted around him. 

He came to a halt as Reaper came charging towards him, already pulling out fresh guns, tossing aside the used ones. Genji braced himself, sword at the ready and already building for a more powerful attack to put Reaper out of comission once more. However, for a brief second, Reaper seemed to hesitate, almost stopping as his attention was caught by something off to the side of the room to one of the other doorways leading into the laboratory. That slight distraction was enough to have Genji turn his head some before moving to try and turn around fully as another agent of Talon, probably the defacto commander by the slight difference of their dress, raised a hand holding a strange device, pressing a switch to trigger it. 

Caught between the two enemies was not a position Genji particularly liked, especially an enemy with a weapon that was unfamiliar. The cyborg dashed forward towards the easier target as the device let out a loud crack of energy that extend out across the room. Genji shifted his momentum to try and move away as the energy washed over him but soon all thoughts seemed to white out in a roar of static as, pain erupted from ever sensor in his body at once. Genji seized up, a choked cry escaping that quickly fizzled into a screeching static as his voice shorted out. Electricity seemed to race unchecked through his non-organic systems bringing with it a horrendous roar of jumbled signals and system errors that had his mind pounding with a sudden overflow of information. His vision shorted out as whatever electrical signal was devastating his non-organic systems reached their zenith. Yet despite the pain and sudden loss of vision, Genji tried to finish the turn to step forward towards the figure, feeling a strange numbness and almost as if part of him was completely detached from his physical body. What parts of him remained organic still functioned while the heavy metal of his robotic half seemed to weigh him down. He had taken not even a step forward before falling forward, his entire body stiff from the backlash.

In the haze of jumbled information from sensors that couldn't really form a coherent fix on what was going on, the safety protocols were kicking in to do hard reboots of systems to get him moving again. His biological systems though seemed relatively untouched, his heart hammering in his chest and the dull feeling of being absolutely helpless coursing through every nerve as he attempt to move and get back up, shuddering and straining. 

His vision came back with a distorted view of the world as the visor rebooted, everything out of focus and tinged with auras of color but from what he could tell he was on his side, sprawled out, sword still in hand and his entire body seized up and twitching even as he fought to move ad the leisurely approach of both Reaper and the unseen agent that had stepped into the room.

“An effective device it seems,” the individual holding the device said, smirking some, “The codename Harpy Disruptor does as the rumors said it would,”

“Not good enough apparently,” Reaper growled, shoving the barrel of his gun against the side of the cyborg's head, “He'll be up soon and he's far from dead. For now,”

The agent of Talon gave a tsking sound, moving to pick up one of the fallen boxes to place the device inside, “It is only a prototype and I'll be the first to admit not a particularly good one. A lot of bugs and even that little show shorted it out to being useless for a second charge, but still, it has real potential to disable robotic targets easily,” The agent paused to look at Reaper as the mercenary prepared to pull the trigger, “ If possible though, Reaper? Don't kill this one. At least, not yet,”

That had the mercenary bristling, pressing the gun harder against Genji's head. The Cyborg's hands twitched as he tried to move, managing to bend his arms some, one leg shuddering as he drew it up under him to try and stand up only to be shoved down hard by a foot on the small of his back, earning a hissing sound from the cyborg, “I kill all agents of Overwatch. That is the deal,” Reaper growled, “We don't need this one alive,” 

“You will, you will but how often does one get to see how a living cyborg works? One put together by the illustrious doctor Angela herself?” The agent commented, “As soon as we are done getting any useful information out of him, then you can put him down just as plan. Plenty of time to savor the kill that way Besides, I am the one who disabled him for you. Would you rather not have proper sport with the half human?”

“This is pointless,” Reaper spat, the disdain clear in his voice although he stepped off of Genji and the sound of his guns being holstered echoed dully in the room. 

Genji's hand twitched again and he was able to flex the trembling fingers some, feeling the shurikens there starting to emerge even as he began to rise. If this was how he was going to meet his end, he would much prefer to do so defending himself, not laying half prone on the floor. His limbs felt so heavy and foreign, twitching and moving on their own accord some as that pirate signal still send jumbled nonsense through his robotic systems. 

“Pointless or not, that's my call on the situation. Bring him back with us. Have to thank him for the trouble no?” the snap of the box echoed in the room as the agent lugged it over their shoulder, “Let's get moving then before any friends show up to ruin this victory. Honestly, having a successful mission completed at last is probably going to do you wonders Reaper after the museum incident and the failed hit on Gibraltar,”

A snarl escaped Reaper at the comment but he didn't respond, only turning to regard Genji as the cyborg rose shakily to his feet. He cracked his knuckles some, his voice coming out an agitated hiss, “You should have stayed down, machine,” he snarled before slamming Genji hard against the wall, cracking the back of the cyborgs head against the wall. 

His vision flickered and swam again as he fought to stay conscious, both hands rising to the one grasping at his neck before another swift, more calculated hit collided with his skull. 

In a moment, Genji's world went black with his last thought being a small apology to Winston.

Looks like a miscalculation had been made.


	2. Chapter 2: Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! Building more interaction which was fun to write and a few head canons being thrown in based on snippets of dialogue given during the game. Please enjoy and thank you everyone for all the kudos and the kind comment!

Chapter Two: Touch 

There was a slight ringing in Genji's ears as he came to, his visor flickering online as he regained consciousness. There was a slight crack in the visor, but other than that, no real damage. His entire body felt like it was uncomfortably stiff, but the pain had been nullified by a few sub-systems. A quick check of everything showed mostly normal readings and power levels were up to standard, although starting to run a little low. 

The only real issue at the present seemed to be the fact he was strapped to the table with arms above his head, unable to move other than a slight turn of his head to take in the bleak surroundings of what could only be described as a cross between a junker's garage and a laboratory of some kind. Just enough mess to show it was a well used room although the amount of dis-assembled omnics made Genji tense up. The feeling of being more in the butcher shop of a murderer caused a slight rise in anger within him. 

The door at the far end of the room hissed open and a pale, rather sickly man came in, flicking his finger across the screen of a personal data pad, a small smirk on his face. He glanced up, lighting up some at seeing Genji and that smirk only growing into a grin, “Ah, the patient awakes! Or should I say prisoner?” 

“Given the surroundings, I get the feeling this is more along the line of some sort of lab rat,” Genji drawled. He gave a slight tug at the bindings and finding them to hold firm. Clearly meant to hold stronger individuals than himself to the lab table. 

The man chuckled, setting down his pad on a counter and turning to regard the captured cyborg, hands clasped behind his back, “Very much so but really, no hard feelings. Picking you apart and finding out what you know, what makes you tick it is all a part of getting closer to my promotion within Talon. Been spending too long in this basement lab just hacking apart old Omnic rigs they pull out of the mud or who get murdered in some sort of violence,” he gave a dismissive way, “Also with the harpy disruptor in our hands, you are also to be a platform for tests on the code to increase its effectiveness so relax, at least, while you can,”

The man chuckled before the sound died in his throat as the door once more hissed open to grant Reaper entry into the lab. The mercenary eyed them both before moving around to the side of the room crossing his arms. The man frowned some, giving a look to the mercenary, “Can I help you? Last I recall you don't have clearance to be in the lab areas and really you have no business here,”

Reaper just leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on the doctor, “He's my kill,” was the cold blunt answer, “When you are done, doc, he's mine. I'm making sure you don't go back on your deal,”

Genji just looked between the two before letting out a sigh, his head thunking back against the berth he was strapped to. Caught in a fight between two individuals who most likely equally wanted him dead for their own reasons. At least in some strange sense, Reaper was keeping him alive a little longer than the lab doctor. 

“Yes well, I'm not done with him,” the doctor shot back, “I haven't even begun in fact. Taking apart and undoing Doctor Ziegler's work to figure out how she managed to craft such an elegant half-machine is going to take a lot of time. Honestly he won't survive the-”

“Get what information you can from him. Then I kill him. Then you can have your fun,” Reaper interrupted coldly, “He's mine,” Reaper inclined his head some still keeping his gaze fixed on the doctor, “Or do you want to die too?”

The doctor flinched back some, warily eyeing the mercenary, “You are working for Talon and I, as part of the staff-”

“Are expendable as the rest as far as I am concern,” Reaper didn't move a muscle, keeping his arms crossed as he leaned comfortably up against the wall, “Don't kill him,”

the doctor scowled but even Genji could see the nervousness in his features. With an exaggerated heavy sigh, the doctor threw his hands into the air, “Fine. Research into taking apart a live specimen will have to be pushed aside to please a mad loon's revenge itch,”

“I'm glad you finally see things my way,” Reaper replied, his tone tinged with sarcasm. 

Genji turned to regard Reaper, picking up on the slight tinge of emotion in the otherwise blank drawl of the other's voice. At least there was something more than dull anger. As if feeling the cyborg's eyes on him, Reaper moved his gaze to Genji silently, an action only indicated in the minuscule tilt of his head. He didn't say anything but Genji supposed the only thing on the mercenary's mind was how he was going to serve the final blow.

“Well do you have to hang around? I don't work well with an audience,” The doctor growled, moving to Genji's side, running a scanner over his form, “Or are you just going to hover around because you have nothing better to do with your time?”

Reaper gave no response, only inclining his head silently to shift focus back to the doctor, making no move to leave. The doctor just heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes as he looked down at Genji, “Mercenaries,” he grumbled, “At least you seemed to be wisely keeping your mouth shut,”

“I can speak up more if that is better for your experiments. May I inquire to the name of my jail keeper?” Genji responded, turning his gaze back to the sickly man.

“Doctor Bolgriv at your service. A robotics expert as it were. Developing the future of robotic warfare for Talon,” He gave an approving hum as he stopped over Genji's chest with the device, “Really you are a magnificent work of art. The biological and non-biological systems are so expertly fused. Every capillary and nerve practically maintained at your core but my my, did Doctor Ziegler hack you up in places. Either you were nothing but a torso somehow still alive when they found you, or they were really set on trying to make a machine out of you. I am certain there were better ways to save your life than this route but perhaps the pursuit of science was just too much for Doctor Ziegler to pass up,”

Genji bristled some at the comment, flexing his hands into fists in his bindings as he watched Doctor Bolgriv continue his work, “She knew what she had to do in order to save my life,” 

“Ah, another of her blind little fans who believe she is incapable of any wrong. How precious,” the doctor chuckled, flicking his gaze to Reaper, “I guess though Overwatch likes to hide all the failures, all the deaths and botched jobs she has in her past. She isn't above getting her hands dirt as, after all, raising the dead is a rather unnatural process that needed someone to act as guine pig,”

Genji bristled some but no sonner could beak before Doctor Bolgriv was once more speaking, flicking his gaze to the readings of his pad, “ I do not think robotics though are her forte on top of medicine but given she was in Overwatch, no doubt someone who could have lent a hand,” Doctor Bolgriv gave a sigh, “It is a real shame I can't start opening you up alive,”

A pointed look was shot at Reaper who didn't respond at all, only staring back at the doctor. Genji honestly didn't know whether to be thankful that the mercenary was there to ensure he came to no serious harm or far less thankful given Reaper likely wanted to kill him more than anyone in the facility to the point he was willing to start a spat with Doctor Bolgriv.

“I wouldn't try it anyways. There are security measures in place for that,” Genji commented, tugging at the restraints some, “I'm sure if you let me up, I could draw an attempt at my schematics,”

“Yes, just after you peppered me full of shurikens,” the doctor drawled. 

A raspy chuckle escaped Reaper causing both to regard the mercenary who just cocked his head in return but didn't speak further. Seems someone found the slightly witty retort amusing. 

Doctor Bolgriv stepped away from the table, moving to the counter top and pulled out a small compact device that with a press of a switch, activated, sparking with electricity, “As I can't test your systems by a more direct and intrusive means, I'll just have to go by observational study. First though, I think we will test your threshold to pain. Specifically how you react to electrical responses and how your systems react in order to nullify the pain and spread the charge. The disruptor has a combination of a pirate signal and electrical burst, so need to see which one was the most likely cause of your distress so as to work on boosting that angle,”

“This sounds like a rather terrible time,” Genji drawled, “Can we not partake of the more fun scientific experiments like those ink blot tests or perhaps something to do with watching strange movies and talking about my feelings?”

That earned another snicker from Reaper and another nasty glare sent Reaper's way as the doctor charged up his device, “Oh no, I think this will be more than properly amusing. At least for me,”

The doctor stalked over to Genji's side, device in hand, clearly charging it up a few clicks visible to try and get the ninja to squirm. All he got was the expressionless stare of Genji's visor. Behind it though, Genji was grimacing, steeling himself for the pain. A chime went off from the pad, causing Doctor Bolgriv to pause, letting out a growl and stalk over, “What now,” he hissed. 

He squinted at the screen as he picked it up, flicking his fingers across it before rolling his eyes. Setting the device down he looked over his shoulder with a nasty smile towards Genji, “I'll be back, machine,” He sneered before leaving the room.

Genji gave a dismissive tsk as he watched the doctor leave. The cyborg tugged at the bonds a little more now that the doctor was gone, shifting his body one way or the other to try to find some lose point.

“Struggle all you want, you aren't getting lose,” Genji stopped only to turn his head to regard the mercenary still in the room now watching him.

“I wouldn't be too keen on that. Escaping is a skill that I am rather good at doing,” Genji commented. He forced himself to relax some, curling his fingers to brush against the locks of the restraints, “Do you really trust that doctor friend of yours to bind me properly?”

“No and let me make this clear: he's not a friend,” Reaper responded pushing himself away from the wall and walking over to the side of the berth. He rested his hands on the side of it as he leaned over Genji, examining him, “But even with your skill Genji, you won't be getting away,”

The cyborg paused, tensing up just a bit at the use of his name, bringing his focus back to Reaper and searching the masked face for any sort of clue as to how this mercenary knew his name. The tone in which he said it, bluntly with just a slight drawl of familiarity pointed that whoever this was knew him. That fact brought very little comfort to the Overwatch agent, especially given the fact Reaper was systematically hunting each of them down. Honestly could be some sort of coincidence or something Reaper had read in a dossier of agents Talon provided. 

“We shall see. If I manage to get out, you'll have to tell me how you know me,” Genji responded, keeping his tone level, “You do not seem familiar to me,”

“I wouldn't be no. We weren't in the same sector,” Reaper murmured, “You were barely affiliated with Overwatch other than your little stint of revenge against the Shimada Clan's criminal empire,”

“Information easy enough to lift from any dossier I'm sure,” Genji turned his head some to focus his gaze around the room for anything that may be a switch or the like for the table he was bound to. Just something to help in formulating a plan for escape.

Reaper was silent before reaching a hand to grab Genji's chin in a rather hard grip, turning the head of the cyborg towards him with a sharp jerk, “You should be dead now,”

Genji gave as best a shrug as he could in response to the comment, “Perhaps, but it seems Talon keeps you on your leash somehow to stop that from coming rom your hands anytime soon,” 

A low hissing growl escaped Reaper as his grip tightened some, “I'm on no ones leash. I'm using them for now,”

“Then what is stopping you from killing me right now?” Genji retorted, a tinge of challenging in his voice, “What is holding you back?”

Reaper was staring at him, those dark holes in his mask unreadable before the mercenary let go, only to pull the glove off his right hand. The skin beneath was inhumanly pale and tinged a molted grey color as if the muscle below had atrophied terribly. The finger tips were black, like the dead frostbitten flesh of a frozen corpse with the nails elongated due to the skin having receded further than normal as if Reaper was literally decaying alive, “Nothing is holding me back, brat,”

With those snarled words, the mercenary placed the twisted hand on the cyborgs chest, curling the fingers against the metal some. For a long moment the two were silent, Genji tensed wondering what on earth Reaper was even trying to achieve while the mercenary just stared at where his hand was touching the bound Overwatch agent. Although Reaper's expressions were unreadable, the slight tension of his shoulders and the small tilt of his head seemed to convey a measure of confusion or, at the very least, a reaction of some sort.

Genji didn't say a word for a long moment, craning his neck some to look down at where the hand was touching him before lifting his gaze back up to Reaper's masked face. The mercenary was staring again, the hand almost hesitantly starting to roam about Genji's chest in a fashion that showed more confusion than anger now, “You aren't dead,” Reaper said at last, his tone as monotonous as before but Genji could detect just a hint of something else. Confusion? Shock? It was hard to place but it was something of a puzzled emotion. 

“I do not think touching an individual was ever a cause of death beyond those picture books my brother used to enjoy,” Genji commented, “But I suppose you are trying to master such a skill to go with your western interpretation of the avatar of death?”

A growl escaped Reaper, the hand curling into a fist, abruptly pulling it back. He turned away from the cyborg, tugging his glove back on, “Guess you are nothing but a machine after all,” 

the comment made Genji tense up and a spike of anger rise up in him as he watched the mercenary leave. There was confusion to be sure at what the whole little moment had been about, but still, the simmering anger threatened to boil up again at a comment. Genji kept his mouth shut though, teeth clenching. His master would, of course, tell him to ignore it. The comment was meant to rile him up. Nothing more. Nothing less. The unwise tiger takes the bait of the trap.

Genji let his head fall back to examine his bindings again. There didn't seem any way he could wriggle his wrists out without destroying both hands. There wouldn't be enough time for shoddy repair work either and given the circumstances of his capture and who was present, having two functioning hands would probably be more needed than two busted up metal stumps. No switches were in view but who knew what was buried under the old dead torsos of the Omnics scattered about the lab. 

He didn't have long to be alone to his thoughts before Doctor Bolgriv returned, clearly still in a rather cross mood. The sickly man didn't waste time picking up the same device again, clicking it back on to a shower of sparks and whirling about to regard Genji, “Well seems that pawn decided to flit off,” he sneered, “I can't wait until there is no more use for that half living thing and Talon properly disposes of it,”

“He's your colleague. Do you hate him that much for keeping you from your fun?” Genji asked bluntly, his tone unimpressed by the display of anger.

That just earned a laugh from Doctor Bolgriv as he held up the sparking device again, “Colleague? That thing? Whatever trash heap Talon pulled it out of is where it should have stayed. Unstable in the head, unsociable brute. A real Frankenstein monster you could say,” He gave a softer chuckle, shaking his head, “You are probably more human than it but no, there are very few in this world who would think a fond thought of that thing. But enough about Reaper, let's see how long you can last,”

Without another word, the mad doctor pressed the device against Genji's neck, the cyborg jerking as pain erupted. He didn't scream or make a sound, clenching teeth hard enough he thought they would shatter under the force. Every system was trying to compensate for the sudden burst of electricity, re-directing the power and trying to conduct it evenly and out of the body. Doctor Bolgriv pulled back the device after a bit giving a hum, “Such elegance. Someone seemed to take into account electric shock and installed grounders of sorts to direct charge to and to evenly spread it through out the body. Fascinating. I wonder how much punishment that fail safe can take, but this clearly points to the fact that it was the pirate code that caused you more damage than any electric surge. Very interesting,”

“Given that seems like a rather lethal experiment, I doubt my executioner would be pleased,” Genji commented, his voice rasping just a bit, “In my experience, going past fail safes is a rather poor choice of science,” On that at least, Genji was sure Winston would agree whole-heartedly on. 

The comment only earned another painful shock through his body on a higher level as the doctor watched the readings fly by on the screen of the scanner in his other hand, “Like I care really what they want? Plenty of Overwatch agents to sate whatever thirst for vengeance that corpse has,”

There was no time for Genji to respond as shock after shock was forced through his body, his systems screaming as one or two subsystems began to hit critical levels. A heat was building that felt like it was burning against what organic parts he had left, practically roasting him alive, or so it felt that way. However, he didn't scream or let the doctor know what was going on the best to his abilities, the only sign of any pain was the way his body convulsed after ever shock, unfurling from the pain to shudder. 

Doctor Bolgriv just smiled at each shock, enjoying the pain he was inflicting more than what little bit of information he was being given, eyes narrowed. He raised his hand again, clicking the device up further, “Nearly to the top limit and you are barely keeping it together. I'm sure you are getting all sorts of warning yes?” he asked after what felt like hours of the torture. 

Genji turned his head away, his entire body feeling ravaged from the torture, every system reporting warnings to somehow get away from the source of these shocks and energy reserves were running low in attempts to stop the attack. The self repair functions for many of his internal systems was working overtime to compensate for hairline fractures starting to be reported in conduct paths throughout his body. 

It was hard to focus on anything but the thought of how upset Mercy and Winston were going to be with him for getting in over his head was at the forefront. The tune-up job Genji would be in for when he got back was going to be one with a long lecture about taking care of his cybornetic body and probably some comment by Torbjörn about how expesnive his components were and to take better care as well. All in all, it almost seemed a scarier proposition than staying here. Amost. 

“Nothing to say now? Such a pity. You were really running your mouth earlier,” Doctor Bolgriv gave a chuckle as he leaned in to press the device again to Genji's form, eyes wide with glee, “Just a few more shocks and you'll probably be baking in your-” a sudden howl escaped the doctor's throat as he pulled back quickly, dropping the device and clutching his hand where blood was already pouring out of a bullet wound.

Genji turned his head, gaze at the door where Reaper stood one gun in hand, shoulders hunched as he looked over the scene, “I said no killing him. Seems that PhD of yours didn't give you any common sense or understanding of basic English, doc,”

The doctor had fallen back, cursing Reaper under his breath while holding his hand, “D-damn you! I was not killing him! I was-”

“Going to short him out like your other tin can interrogations. You do this everytime with the live Omnics brought in,” Reaper interrupted, walking over and with a decisive crunch, brought his foot down on the device, “During most interrogations you ask questions but I suppose you are too incompetent to handle that,”

Doctor Bolgriv simply clutched his hand closer, watching Reaper as he drew closer, drawing back, “He isn't going to talk. None of them talk,”

“Then he's of no use to you as far as study goes,” Reaper cocked his gun, training it on Genji, “Then I'll take care of him,”

“Just be patient! I want to do more studies! The pirate code needs to be tested right away from the disruptor as it is clear the electrical burst most likely had little effect on bringing him down in the first place,” Bolgriv retorted.

Reaper tilted his head some at the comment, “Then why don't you test that before you kill him? You seem to lose track of what your job is. The commander woldn't be pleased,”

Doctor Bolgriv gritted his teeth, clutching his hand tight as he started to back pedal toward the door, “The superiors will hear about this in fact and about how you interupted me and wounded me! I am still an important-”

A bullet grazed Bolgriv's cheek causing the sickly man to yelp and quickly leave, no longer having the heart to argue further earning a chuckle from Reaper as he lowered his gun, easily sliding it back into the holster it came from.

“Pest,” Was Reapers simple answer, watching the sickly doctor hastily leave before turning to regard Genji.

He tilted his head some as the cyborg remained quiet before pressing the gun against his chest, “You seem to make a habit of flirting with death,”

A tired laugh escaped Genji, “Seems death really has a thing for me. Perhaps death does not like being cheated once, but flirting?” Genji gave another quiet laugh” Ah, you don't seem the type to appreciate someone flirting,” It was a slight tease at the appearance of Reaper but then it was not uncommon for Genji to keep a slight sense of humor about himself even in the worse of situation. An attitude that had always rubbed Hanzo the wrong way in battle. Taking things seriously and being focused did not mean one had to sacrifice a sense of humor. 

Reaper gave no response to the comment other than to press the gun more firmly against Genji's chest, “I should put you out of your misery, tincan,”

“I believe I'm seen as more man than you are, given how your cohort spoke of you,” Genji let his head sink back, staring at the ceiling, too tired to move or think, his energy reserves running lower and every system in his body felt ripped through and raw, “Go ahead if you want but if you keep threatening to kill me and never do, I'm going to start to feel disappointed,”

There was a long pause of silence before an angry growl escaped Reaper again and he put away the gun, “I don't like my kills half dead before I make them,”

“Well it seems your only option will be mostly dead by the end of this,” Genji commented dryly, tugging at the restraints, “Half-dead and uncomfortable in your accommodations. Talon's best leaves much to be desired,”

Reaper fell silent for a moment before moving to press a switch on the berth to release Genji's hands to haul the cyborg up into a sitting position, “I have to do everything myself,” he murmured.

Genji struggled just a bit at the shift in position, turning to regard the face mask of the mercenary who was using one hand to hold Genji in place by the back of the neck while the other hand moved to snap a pair of heavy cuffs over Genji's hands, keeping them bound in front of him now. With the cyborg bound more comfortably, Reaper reached down to pick up Doctor Bolgriv's device fiddled with the scanner, at least somewhat familiar with how it worked. It seemed almost surreal he was getting help of any sort from the mercenary of death, and yet, here they were.

Fate clearly had a strange sense of humor.

“So you wish to help me only to kill me again. Why?” Genji asked, as Reaper watched the readings on the screen of the device.

“You are with Overwatch,” Was the simple answer, the tone implying that he thought the question a stupid one, “and professional pride. Weak targets are not worth my time,”

“You sound like my brother except a different take on why to avoid injured targets,” Genji murmured.

The hand on the back of his neck was removed as Reaper turned towards the work bench, looking over the mess before shoving it aside haphazardly, making a larger mess on the floor as he started to look for something. Genji slumped forward, rolling his shoulders and finding it hard to even do that. His movements were stiff from the overheated systems that were still trying to repair the tears and strains wracking the interior of his body. Already the values on his shoulders were popped out to release heated steam constantly as his systems continued to cool down. 

His attention was brought back to Reaper when the mercenary was shoving something in his face, a packet of some sort of sealed up blue gel, “Thing says you are running on low energy,” 

Genji took the gel packet, recognizing it as the source of synthesized energy that omnic purchased to help charge their own systems. It worked as a sort of blood for the machines, carrying charge through out the systems and could keep an omnic charged for many months if of good quality. A bit better for the system than the organic oils that were sold around the world For any omnic, it would quickly do the trick of course but Genji wasn't entirely a machine. A fact that Reaper seemed to be overlooking again and again.

He let out a sigh, taking the packet and looked up at Reaper, “I am not purely robotic. This cannot help me, at least not without actual organic matter added,” Genji tiredly muttered, “and that organic matter should be processed in a specific fashion mixed with just a bit of this. A combination mixture is most ideal,”

That answer didn't seem to sit well with Reaper who let out another low gross of annoyance, “How do I make whatever the hell you eat then?”

“Hard to explain. I would take note if you are serious about becoming a chef of cyborg cuisines,” Genji gave a shrug, holding up his bound hands, “I would help if I could-”

He was interrupted by a growl from Reaper as the mercenary moved forward to hit another few switches on the berth, releasing Genji entirely and all but dragging the cyborg off of it, “Come on,”

Genji stumbled some, trying to get his feet under him. In any other circumstance such a thing wouldn't have caused even the slightest mis-step but being nearly burnt out as he was and running on the proverbial fumes and pouring steam out of his form like a busted car engine, he wasn't entirely concerned with maintaining ninja-like grace. Reaper just yanked both Genji forward by his cuffs, every step the mercenary took echoing loudly as Reaper dug his heels against the metal floor with every step in agitation.

Genji followed behind as he was pulled along by the mercenary through the halls of the base, taking the time to scope out the place. The move made it clear Reaper cared little for his employees to the point of not being afraid to cart a prisoner through the interior and see what was going that. That or just more than a little assured of Genji's eventual demise. Idly the cyborg wondered if he was going to be taken somewhere scenic to be killed by the grim mercenary at this point as it seemed Reaper's patience was about as thin as a rice cracker. 

Much to his surprise, he found himself pulled into cafeteria of some sort and from there into the kitchen. The cook looked up, surprised at the odd pair but didn't even bat an eye when Reaper jerked his head in a silent order for the portly woman to get out. She gave one look over at the two before rushing out. Reaper pushed Genji forward in front of him towards the industrial style walk in fridge before crossing his arms, “What do you need to make whatever it is you eat,” 

His tone was not much of a question but more a statement. Genji took his time straightening up, looking over the assortment of food. It was a well stock fridge at least and there were more than a few delights he got a pang of nostalgia over seeing but couldn't partake in. Oh to be able to eat anything with actual spice again or to partake of the sweet crunch of fresh fruit. Pushing those feelings aside once more, he looked back at the mercenary before raising his bound hands, “Rather hard to grab what is needed when my hands are bound,”

Reaper let out another low growl, a sound Genji was quickly coming to understand was a sound of exasperation before he moved up next to the cyborg, “Just tell me what you need then. I'm getting tired of the delays,”

For a moment, Genji considered making some remark about the patience of the mercenary before deciding it was best not to rile him up too much, especially when he seemed strangely willing to help if only to make sure Genji was in better health to murder. A strange turn of events to be sure.

“Grab the tofu there, its a softer protein than the meat and easier to liquify, a couple of the eggs, the shredded vegetables there are better to break down in a blender. Fruit juice if you see any, preferably ones lower in sugar content,” Genji looked around before giving a shrug, “And if you happen to find some vitamin supplements, those can go in to,”

“Sounds like something that is going to taste like shit,” Reaper commented before starting to pull things off the shelves haphazardly.

Genji gave a slight chuckle, “It does. Nothing tastes good blended together. The flavors are all off but nothing to be done when your diet is completely liquid based,”

Reaper moved passed him into the kitchen, dropping the ingredients on the table before moving to drag the blender over, opening the lid, “You drink this raw?”

“I can but microwaves are good for heating it up,” Genji answered, doing the best he could with bound hands to start cracking a few of the eggs to drop in the blender, “The real tragedy is all the food I had to give up,”

Reaper just watched him, taking a seat as he crossed his arms across his chest, “Just shove whatever food it is in a blender then,”

Genji gave a shrug tearing the packaging off the tofu to plop it into the eggs in the blender with a wet smack, “I have to watch what goes in. Doctor's orders as it were. My diet has to be handled a certain way,”

A snort escaped Reaper, “Sounds like some shit diet that would be popular in San Francisco,”

“I don't know if I should be intrigued by that or confused at why anyone would want to drink their food rather than enjoy the texture,” Genji responded. 

Reaper didn't respond and the cyborg glanced over at his strange savior and executioner. One one hand this was a rather strange situation, almost casual in a sense. The conversation wasn't on killing him at least or how much Reaper wanted to kill him. In fact, the mercenary seemed to making an effort to actual engage in the conversation, at least paying attention to what was being said even if his comments were a bit flat and sparse. Genji couldn't image he talked to anyone for long or anyone bothered to talk to him at all. Not to mention the fact Reaper still probably wanted to kill him later was a rather large concern.

Still, for now, there seemed to be a small desire on Reaper's part for some sort of social interaction which Genji would oblige if only to try and figure out perhaps a way to escape, “How about yourself? What sort of things does someone of your strange habits eat?”

The mercenary didn't take his gaze off the blender as Genji tore a corner of the packet of gel handed to him earlier, pouring the liquid in on top of the unholy heap of ingredients before putting on the lid of the blender and pushing the start button. The screeching whirl of the device filled the room as the two sat there in a somewhat uncomfortable silence. 

Reaper hadn't answered his question, hadn't really moved much at all and Genji wondered what was even going through his head. The mercenary turned his head away some, shifting his gaze to some other spot in the kitchen, giving a slight shrug, “I don't eat. I have to envy your slop,” he finally said at length.

Genji gave a small snort at the response, feeling a strange sort of easing of the tension in the air at the question being answered, “You are welcome to try it,”

“You poured motor oil in it,” Reaper stated in a dead-pan tone, a tinge of some emotion tinging the usual monotone.

“The caliber of this brand of gel is not toxic to organics. I think the most that happens is occasionally someone getting food poisoning symptoms. If it was toxic, I'm sure there would be far more controversy in terms of selling it at the corner shops,” Genji responded, pushing the button to stop the blender. 

With hands still bound, he carefully removed the top of the blender, looking into the smooth, unappetizing liquid that smelled of fruit juice left too long in the sun, boiled in rusting car, “Smells delicious. I would recommend a try,”

“It smells like shit,” Reaper responded, watching as Genji set the concoction down before raising his hands to carefully remove his mask, “I don't need to eat,”

“Well if you ever change your mind,” Genji responded, setting his mask aside. 

It always felt weird to take it off and he was more aware of Reaper's staring as he starting to drink down the swill. His sense of taste was not something that had been able to be completely saved or perhaps had been intentionally nullified given his new diet. Still the texture always left something to be desired as it slid down his throat. 

“Seems the hack managed to save some of who you were,” Reaper commented as Genji set down the blended concoction.

A slight frown curled the twisted lips of the cyborg, the metal there shifting a bit, “Doctor Ziegler did what she had to do. Her and Winston saved my life,”

“How charming. Is that why you joined Overwatch? To repay a debt of gratitude for such kindness?” The sarcasm was clear in Reaper's tone as well as a bitterness that rippled just below the surface.

“I did,” he paused, looking down into the murky liquid that passed for food, “and to take apart the empire of my family,”

“The Shimada,” Reaper murmured. He was quiet for a bit before sitting back in his chair, “So you chose revenge and Overwatch was just a tool,” He paused before adding, “Just like Talon is a tool for me,”

Genji was silent. Those years in Overwatch were not ones he was particularly proud of. Everything had been new again and frankly overwhelming. In a mere instant, his entire life had changed rapidly. Being reborn in this cyborg form had been like being reborn entirely and there had been a terrible disconnected feeling from his own past.

Having to relearn how to walk and move and adapt to the new information that he processed faster than any human had been filled with days of silent frustration, wobbling along and digging furrows into walls to the tone of encouragement to others like he was a child or a crippled. He felt so ashamed by it all, having politely declined help as he wanted to be able to be on his own again and not seem as weak as he felt when struck down by his brother. 

The changes to his diet even had been a shock to handle. How many times had he forced down solid foods in protest only to have the food sit heavy inside of him, causing strain and distress until he was all but forced to purge it from his body? That desperate desire for something normal and something to connect him to a past and a person he didn't feel like anymore that had resulted in showing just how ...not Genji he had become at that point. Even sleep, once a reprieve from the world had become something foreign to engage in and sometimes he felt like he was just a sack of meat, shoved in a metal shell and never existed before that point as a person. 

Those years had been filled with doubt but he kept the feelings bottled up to look fine for the others. He hadn't wanted to cause them stress or appear ungrateful. He hadn't wanted anyone to see or know just how lost he felt. It was only away from others on the battlefield, away from watching them laugh, eat, and carry on as normal, still fully organic beings, was he able to truly have some measure of peace. It had taken such a long time to really come to terms with everything. Zenyatta had helped him to truly accept it all, to find solace in the new routines and help establish connections to his past. 

In a way, those years spent wandering the world had been when Genji had finally found the man that he still was and that that man was no different than the machine he was part of. 

Genji let out a sigh. Reaper was still waiting for an answer and the cyborg realized he had been staring off some himself, lost in his own thoughts of those days, “Maybe. Just a little bit but I have turned away from that path for another one. Revenge only destroys those who seek it,”

“How noble,” the sarcasm was still there as Reaper moved to get to his feet, “Are you done?”

Genji looked between the half drunk swill in the blender and Reaper and scowled slightly, “I do not believe so,” he took another small sip, intentionally taking his time now, “A machine has to be handled with care,” he drawled, taking a slight dig at the mercenary for his earlier comment. 

Reaper let out the tell-tale growl of exasperation, “Hurry up,”

“Or what? You'll get in trouble for taking the enemy to a dinner date in the kitchen?” Genji asked, arching an eyebrow, “I will admit this is the strangest date I've been on. Not the most appealing surroundings-”

“Do you always run your smart mouth?” Reaper abruptly asked with a tinge of annoyance.

“Would you prefer I spoke to you in Japanese then so you didn't have to understand what I'm saying?” Genji asked after swallowing another mouthful of the cold liquid, “Or you could always finally go ahead with killing me like you keep promising,”

The familiar silent stare of Reaper returned although there seemed to be a bit more annoyed heat to it before he raised a hand, casually pulling off the glove and putting it aside before reaching across the counter to touch Genji's face.

Genji just blinked in confusion some, arching an eyebrow at the gesture. Reaper was touching him with a bare hand against the skin of his face. Not a harsh touch like last time, more of a curious sort, inquisitive almost as if trying to determine something. With the mask on, the face of the mercenary was unreadable but the touch became more firm cupping the side of the cyborg's face.

A long moment of awkward silent passed before Genji arched an eyebrow, “Any reason for the touching?” he asked at length.

“You aren't dead,” Reaper responded, cupping Genji's chin, “You should be dead,”

“I feel rather alive right now,” Genji responded dully, “A slight tingle but that might be the blush I'm trying to suppress from your oh so romantic caress of my face,” 

Reaper stared at Genji before putting his hand on Genji's face and giving him a hard shove back, “I don't go for annoying, noisy brats,”

Genji managed to catch himself on the table, unable to hide the slight amused look, “Really? It was hard to tell with the mixed signals you have been giving,”

Reaper gave a huff as he got to his feet again, reaching to yank his prisoner back onto his feet, swiping Genji's mask of the table and trying to shove it back into place with little success, “We are going back,”

“I think I would prefer a better place to be kept than the lab,” Genji asked, grimacing some as he moved his bound hands up to adjust his mask to fit more firmly on his face, letting it click properly back into place.

Reaper didn't answer, only starting to shove Genji in front of him this time, although it was not as harsh a movement. More casual if such a thing was possible, “You'll be fine,”

“Your vote of confidence is refreshing,” Genji grumbled.

His systems were already starting to run a bit faster now, taking in the already liquid nutrients to pump the necessary vitamins to the biological systems and sorting out the oil components to the robotic systems. His sense of balance at least was back and he was easily able to keep in front of his executioner with more graceful steps, holding himself a little taller. 

“He won't try it again,” Reaper clarified, giving another shove to Genji's back, trying to put the cyborg off balance.

The cyborg stiffened some, turning his head to look over his shoulder, not missing a step even with the shove, gracefully compensating for the slight stumble, “Will you ensure that then? It seems for someone that was to kill me, you've become a strange sort of guardian. It is a rather puzzling situation to say the least,”

Reaper didn't answer at first, quietly pushing Genji ahead until they were back in the lab, pushing the cyborg back onto the berth. Genji resisted this time, digging his heels in and shooting a look to the mercenary, “Answer me this at least. Why are you so adamant about killing me? In fact, what about Overwatch as a whole means every agent needs to be terminated?”

“I'm not,” was the short reply as the mercenary managed to force Genji to a sitting position on the side of the berth.

“Your not? Your not what?” The confusion was clear in Genji's voice but still he struggled, feeling more energized now and more than willing to try and take a chance to escape if he could. 

“I don't feel like killing you,” Reaper spat out, “You aren't who I'm after,” 

Genji continued to struggle some only to be slammed hard to the table Reaper managing to get him down against the table clicking his hands back into the restraints still handcuffed, “Don't make me change my mind,”

“Honestly, I have no idea what is going on in your mind. Who are you after?” Genji pressed, trying to understand a semblance of this entire situation.

“Them,” the answer was short but that single word held such contempt and venomous hate, it took Genji aback a bit. 

Genji didn't get the chance to ask who “they” were as the door opened to reveal the good doctor Bolgriv, his hand bandaged and looking livid, “Just what do you think you are doing walking him around the facility? Do you want him escaping and telling Overwatch we are here?” he demanded loudly.

“Would make it easier t kill their agents,” Reaper drawled, crossing his arms, “Just sit here and wait for them to show up,”

“Well just so you know, I've told the commander and he is not pleased. The harpy disruptor is crucial to our needs. Having our cover blown and the device lost,” the doctor shoved a finger unwisely against Reaper's chest, “Something like you is not going to cause problems if you hope to keep up your sad little existence,”

Reaper was silent but the tension in his shoulders spoke louder than any words of the anger broiling up in the mercenary. Without a word, he shot his still bare right hand out, gripping the doctor by the throat. The man's eyes bugged out of his head as his already pale skin seemed to grow paler, almost wizened now as wrinkles began to appear, as if his very life was being pulled out of his body. He struggled in vain, kicking out, a piteous wail managing to work its way out of his throat as Reaper's grip tightened, “Do not think you can intimidate me,”

“If you please, Reaper, we still need the good doctor,” A voice drawled.

Reaper turned his head to regard the newcomer,an armored man, looking rather put upon by the whole situation but carried himself with the air of someone in high command, “We still need him for the research,”

The mercenary made a dismissive noise in his throat, dropping Doctor Bolgriv to the ground. The doctor looked more drained, older with wrinkles creasing the corners of his eyes and a few streaks of white in his once greasy black hair. Trembling he rose to his feet, scrambling away from Reaper, “They are a madman!” He managed out between trembling lips.

The newcomer just shot a look to the doctor before returning his gaze to Reaper, “Please understand, the reason we brought this cyborg back was to figure out how Doctor Ziegler managed this-”

“Winston was there to aid. That hack is not a robotics expert nor is her work anything special,” Reaper snarled out, “You are wasting your time,”

The newcomer, no doubt some sort of commander, Genji assumed, frowned, “Fine then. If it is a waste of time, would you like to do the honors of removing this agent permanently?”

Reaper was silent, turning to glance at Genji. The cyborg tensed, staring back at him impassively, his visor hiding his expression. Neither could read the others emotions except for the small nuances in body language. One thing though was clear to Genji which was cause for some surprise. 

Reaper was hesitating. 

“In time. Not in the mood now,” Reaper responded in his usual cold tone, crossing his arms.

“Do it now or never,” The commander curtly responded, “Or I'll do it,”

The commander moved across the room decisively, pulling out a pistol, “You either take your prize now or not. We need to take him apart and since you are adamant about doing it when he is dead, then that is the logical course now. We make this machine obsolete. I'm getting tired of you and Bolgriv causing problems with your spats and besides, Talon is interested in creating cyborgs of our own so being able to see how this one was made is a boon to our research,”

The gun's safety clicked off as the commander raised it to focus on Genji, “So what will it be Reaper?”

Again Reaper was silent and Genji knew the hesitation was still there. It was a strange situation to say the least and one that Genji himself was confused over. On one hand, Reaper had wanted to kill him but now seemed to not be so inclined for some reason. There was something going on in the mind of the mercenary but be it some strange desire to keep Genji alive or that he wanted to wait for a better day to kill the Overwatch agent still remained to be seen.

Reaper turned his gaze to Genji, reaching out to touch his shoulder with a bare hand, something Genji knew now would devastate any organic. His robotic biology, he supposed, made him immune to whatever effects Reaper was able to work upon organic targets. Some measure of defense at the very least.

There was something in that touch though that spoke of something more and was the answer to his hesitancy in taking Genji's life now. There was something important about that small touch. Reaper glanced up at the commander as he took out one of his guns moving to aim it at Genji while the other hand withdrew to rest on the holster of his other gun.

Reaper stared down at Genji before looking to the commander.

“We do this my way,” Reaper said simply before pulling out a gun on the commander, “I take my prize and I dispose of it where I want. He'll be dead when I feel like it. I don't like my targets half dead and I would rather make an example of this one,” Reaper lowered his head some, shoulders tensing, “He's important to some of those that I would really like to make suffer,” 

The commander held up both hands, letting out a sigh, “Fine. As long as it is done,” he frowned turning on his heels, “Come along doctor before you get any older,”

Doctor Bolgriv shot the two a look before following the commander out quickly, leaving Genji and Reper alone once more.

“So now what? Do I get a sunset execution then? Perhaps options for a beach side beheading?” Genji asked sarcastically, turning to regard the mercenary, trying to get some sort of response to explain what was even going on.

His only response was a long stare from Reaper before the other left the room as well. Genji let out a sigh, closing his eyes and dimming his visor. 

This situation only continued to get more confusing by the moment.


	3. Chapter 3: Confusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! This chapter though? It is a long one. In total, more words than the last three things I wrote so hopefully worth the wait!Things are getting rolling now and next chapter, more familiar faces showing up and gonna be heavy on the action!
> 
> Looking forward to writing all the character interactions <3 
> 
> As always, thank you all for the kudos and the kind comments! They keep me going in writing this behemoth of a story idea!

By Genji's rough calculations, he had been held here for, at most, three days. Of course the accommodations had changed some from being strapped to a table at the mercy of a mad doctor to being pulled around in handcuffs by Reaper wherever the mercenary went and then tossed in a cell that seemed more like a closet for maintenance when he went off somewhere else. There was nothing but the clocks to go by fore determination for night or day as the whole facility seemed to be underground somewhere. Still, Genji supposed, it was a small step forward from where he was before.

Not much had been said those three days. A least, a lot less than what had been said the first day. Reaper didn't answer questions, maybe gave a snort or grunt to something Genji would say, but otherwise held his silence, a bit pensive perhaps or lost in thought, it was hard to really understand. For Genji, it was a rather confusing situation that was starting to boarder on frustrating. He hated being in the dark about things and this whole situation had given few answers to what was going on. 

It was about noon wherever this base was, according to the clock on the wall but for being the lunch period, the cafeteria was as empty as it had been the past few days. Genji supposed having Reaper in there was enough to have the operatives find some other places to eat. Genji sat, staring into a mug of warm slop prepared for his systems, quietly meditating on things. Even with Reaper there, it was rather easy to slip into the usual mental mantras taught to him by Zenyatta and slowly relax his form. It gave him something to focus on to keep his nerves and wits from fraying too much.

Three days and he was nearly fully recovered. The count down to his eventual execution was ticking down to probably mere hours at this point. Reaper hadn't made any recent death threats but his silence wasn't comforting either. The Cyborg glanced to where Reaper sat across from him, the mercenary staring off, leaning forward on the table some, arms crossed.

“You've been quiet these pass few days. Planning out how I am to die in lurid detail?” Genji asked, breaking the silence.

Reaper jerked some, pulled out of his thoughts. He regarded Genji for a while before returning his gaze back down to the table, “I haven't,”

The answer was short, abrupt, and typical of the mercenary but the hesitation in the response pointed to some greater conflict brewing within. That much Genji was sure of, “These have been a strange few days. Captured, tortured, rescued by someone who is only keeping me alive to kill me later,” Genji gave a shrug, picking the cup of liquefied food up to sip it lightly before continuing again, “I won't lie. Even I cannot understand what is entirely going on,”

“Do you want to die?” Reaper asked bluntly, sitting back some.

Genji gave a slight frown at the question, “I think the answer to that is an obvious no,” 

“Then stop asking about it,” Reaper retorted. 

The two fell again to silence, Reaper looking more tense, almost agitated now. Genji just arched an eyebrow but remained silent. Something was bothering the mercenary. Reaper may have been quiet, dark, intimidating at times, and prone to long bouts of brooding, but his body language was clear enough to read and it just served to intrigue Genji further. 

Reaper shifted at last, letting out a growl before slamming both hands on the table, “Why are you such a pain?”

Genji was more surprised by the question than the action, schooling his features as he took another light sip from his mug, “I'm not sure I understand your question. I don't recall doing anything too irritating given I am your prisoner?” The tone of Reaper's voice and the aggressive cut to his body language hinted at some sort of limit of patience finally being breached within Reaper it seemed, although Genji had little idea what had been said to really trigger it. 

“Why do I not want to kill you anymore?” Reaper spat, his voice filled with anger. There was also something akin to contempt as well but whether that contempt was being directed outward at Genji or inward at himself was hard to tell.

The cyborg didn't respond, lowering his cup to the table, “I have no idea. You seemed really into the idea a few days ago. Perhaps you feel pity?”

Reaper gave a snort, “I don't pity you. Why would I pity you?” He looked away, crossing his arms tighter across his chest, “You started talking though,”

 

“I'm sorry?” Genji offered, shaking his head some, confusion clear in his expression, “I don't know what you want me to say,”

“You aren't afraid of me,” Reaper stated, moving to lean over the table some, “You keep talking to me,”

“To be honest? Who else am I going to talk to? The mad doctor? The wall?” Genji gave a slight roll of his eyes, earning a growl from Reaper, “I nearly died once. One near death experience tends to make you rather numb to the concept,”

“I hate you,” Reaper spat, getting to his feet.

Genji watched him stand up, his features impassive, “You hate me, but you won't kill me,”

A growl escaped the mercenary as he turned on his heels, pulling out one of his many guns. The coat he billowed out as he cocked the gun, pointing it at Genji, “I can kill you,”

“You can, but you won't,” The cyborg tilted his chin some, challenge in his eyes, “For some reason, you won't do it. Am I wrong?” 

Reaper's finger twitched on the trigger but again, he was hesitating. In their first fight, Reaper hadn't stopped his onslaught. When irritated with Doctor Bolriv, he had not waited a second to deliver punishment. With Genji though, the cyborg was noting the hesitance in his actions that was not in line entirely with the past actions. 

“I can kill you. I don't want to,” Reaper lowered the gun, shoving it angrily into the holster, “And I hate you for that,”

“So how are you going to kill me for your superiors if your heart isn't in it?” Genji asked. 

It was the obvious question to inquire about. Reaper just turned his back to Genji shoulders hunched and tensed. Reaper's body language indicated he was angry or maybe upset about something, but it was harder to read for now as every emotion seemed to have overlaps. Reaper crossed his arms tight, lowering his head some but did not answer the question. Genji let out a sigh, “I'd rather know something than just be sitting here like this. I hate not knowing the verdict,”

The situation seemed too familiar. His brother had passed verdict upon him so long ago for him to be removed yet it had been Genji who had been the last to be told of this choice. He had known there was to be action taken against him, had known some sort of punishment would be passed down for his behavior, but still the death sentence... Genji stared hard into his cup, his expression sullen.

He may have forgiven his brother, but sometimes there were aspects of it all that still stung and were harder to let go.

Reaper had turned to regard him, staring as he often did, his mask making it impossible to understand if there was any sort of reaction to be had. The mercenary let out a frustrated sigh, dropping his arms and stalking over to Genji roughly grabbing him by the shoulder more in an act to get his attention more than anything else.

Genji gave a grunt, frowning some and giving an unimpressed look to the mercenary, “If you wanted my attention, far easier to just ask. To simply say my name,”

There was no immediate response from Reaper as he stood there, tense, one hand on Genji's shoulder and honestly, to the cyborg, he looked almost lost, as if he had wanted to get Genji's attention for some reason but had not thought of anything past that point in terms of what to do. Eventually though the grip tightened as he leaned in, “You aren't dying,”

“I'm more than aware I'm not dying right now but thank you for the validation,” Genji drawled, turning back to his drink trying to shrug off the mercenary's grip. This only earned him another hard shove from Reaper,”What do you want? I can't read your mind so you are going to have to be more clear, you know, putting more words together in a sentence,”

“I can speak fine,” Reaper growled, “You won't die today. I'm not going to kill you,”

“Any reason for the occasion?” Genji pressed, trying to read something in Reaper's posture or body language that would indicate why he was doing such a thing.

There was no response for why other than Reaper all but slamming Genji back against the table then pulling him forward until they were inches apart, turning to angle his body some carefully. The hits could have been harder, Genji was aware of that. The slam had felt only hard enough to get a slight reaction out of the cyborg but not intending to harm. Reaper was more than capable of being far more bodily with someone he was really trying to hurt. Genji just gave Reaper a confused, bewildered expression, arching an eyebrow to which the only response to Reaper was to give a small jerk of his head to the left over his shoulder.

The cyborg shifted his gaze in the direction, easily spotting the camera in the corner of the room. Realization dawned on Genji bringing both a sense of understanding and a growing sense of confusion. Reapers was putting on a show for the camera while using his body to keep the camera from seeing Genji and their exchange. 

He was up to something he wasn't too keen on Talon knowing about, “Could be audio detection,” Genji murmured softly, “Wouldn't put it pass them,”

Reaper gave a nod, dropping Genji but still looming over him with a more threatening stance as he crossed his arms loosely, the right hand making a small, intentional gesture, pausing, before making the same gesture.

The cyborg tensed. He knew what that gesture meant. 

All Overwatch agents were taught a form of sign language used specifically in the organization. There were two derivatives though, one used by the Overwatch core which was mostly simple combat instructions used to handle information and the must more complex gestures of Blackwatch. The two sign languages were almost like two dialects, one being more detailed than the other, but just in that gesture Reaper made, Genji knew two crucial facts.

Reaper had been affiliated with Overwatch in some way and most likely from the more elegant way he had given the gesture for “understood”,able to use one hand, had been part of Blackwatch. Genji glanced once more at the camera before scowling at reaper, “Is that all you are going to try and do? Intimidate me?” 

As he spoke he made a small gesture of his own, mimicking what Reaper had given 

A slight nod was all Reaper gave before tensing up his body language again, “Seems to work”  
His hands though told a different story than the conversation, both giving another series of small gestures blind to the camera, 

“It really isn't working. When you grow up a Shimada, you become immune to such base tactics,” Genji retorted as he carefully worked his hands into the right gestures. He was not as familiar with the gestures Blackwatch used, not to the level that Reaper seemed to be able to relay. He was probably missing a lot more of what Reaper was trying to communicate which was making the wording more choppy.

 

Reaper seemed to give an irritated tilt of his head before repeating a few unfamiliar gestures before switching to very poignant simple gestures when Genji wasn't responding, 

The mercenary cracked his neck some, “That will change,” he said out loud dropping his hands to his hips to touch the holster of the two guns he kept with him. Clearly whatever small bit of silent communication he had been trying to convey he was not going to continue with. His patience with what was a limited amount of gestures Genji seemed to identify seemed to be just as short as his patience with anything else.

Genji sighed some. Whatever Reaper seemed to have plan, he was more or less going for the ride but right now, the only other alternative seemed to be sitting around waiting for Talon to change their mind and decide he was better on the dissection table, “I'd like to see you try an change my mind,”

“I will,” Reaper growled stepping forward.

Reaper didn't wait to grab Genji by the shoulder, starting to shove him forward, heading off through the base at a rather quick pace. Genji kept his footing easily enough, grumbling some as he slipped his mask back into place, even intentionally taking a bigger step forward to avoid a shove just to irritate Reaper some. That, at least, Genji felt justified given how few details Reaper had even given about whatever he was up to.

There were a few agents of Talon out, giving a wide berth as Reaper pushed Genji along, finally emerging into the cargo bay. Genji glanced about, managing to catch glimpses of larger transport vehicles for moving large amounts of supplies and even a barest hint of sunlight from an open door. The operation was impressive, that was for sure and indicated there was far more going on than just a small terrorist organization. They had some serious funding from someone in the shadows and Genji highly doubted that Reaper was that driving force. The air coming in from the open bay doors had a slight salt tinge and a gentle law of moving water indicating that this was close to some body of water, perhaps the ocean. That could put it anywhere honestly, but that clearly put it far away from the city he had originally been captured in.

Reaper grabbed Genji by the shoulder, bringing his attention back to the moment at hand, pulling him over to the side. He spared a glance over his shoulder before regarding Genji again. The cyborg just tilted his head some as he gave a shrug, “So, now what?”

There was no response from the mercenary verbally, but in a sudden burst of pitch black mist that seemed to move with a life of its own, Reaper seemed to materialize a rather large container out of the air, dropping it to the ground. He gave it a slight kick towards Genji, “Get in,”

For a long moment of silent, Genji stared at Reaper before slowly dropping his gaze to the box. Oh he could fit, barely, that wasn't the issue. Genji looked up at Reaper, leaning forward some, “Your big plan to get me out of here. Is to put me in a box. Are you going to ship me back to Japan? Do I have to give you my brother's address? Please tell me you paid the extra for overnight delivery,”

Reaper just stared back before letting out a growling sigh, cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders before pushing the lid off the box and grabbing Genji by the shoulder, “Just get in,”

Genji gave a grunt as he was unceremoniously shoved inside, trying to brace himself only to be given another shove and almost knocked senseless by the lid of the container being shoved down on top of him, “Did you even put holes in this?” Genji snapped before he was forced down more to click and lock the lid. 

There was no response from the mercenary and Genji let ou a sigh, rolling his eyes behind his mask as he shifted to get more comfortable. He jumped as a bullet broke through the top, nearly hitting him, followed by another one. Genji cursed colorfully, turning his head to try and glower in the general direction of where Reaper would be, “What was that about?”

“I put in some holes,” Was Reaper's deadpan response, “Now shut up,”

Genji snorted. Seems he had some sort of humor. A very dark, morbid sense of humor, but one none the less. The space was cramped and the cyborg was eternally grateful that his new body had maintained the flexibly he had had before or else this would have been more uncomfortable. He still couldn't get over the fact this was Reaper's big plan. Still not being able to see what was going on, for all he knew, Reaper was about to push him into the ocean and try and drown him. A foolish idea given the mask gave Genji some manner of underwater movement, but still would be rather troublesome to be in a box at the bottom of the ocean. He jumped as he heard another series of gunshots, wondering what reaper was even up to combined with another hard kick of the box across the floor, a few shouted cries of alarm and the sound of something mechanical breaking before there was another hard kick and Genji felt as if the floor had dropped off from below him.

Genji braced himself as suddenly there was a slight feeling of freefall, like the sudden lift while going down a drop on a roller coaster before an all too familiar splash was heard, the box bobbing at least on the surface, “By the...you are kidding me!” Genji swore. 

Reaper's methods of execution were either entirely Hollywood based or Reaper really had no care about what was going on and his plan was a rather strange one to save his life. Maybe the mercenary was just hoping the ocean would float Genji to the shores of China or the like. Genji slumped back in his new prison, his hands siting in his lap. If he had his sword he could get out or even just his shurikens he might be able to preform some form of escape. Bound as he was in a container made from some sort of light synthetic metal with surprising buoyancy,probably a product of some voodoo science that only Winston would be able to explain, he was more or less at the mercy of any currents in the area. Just in another prison.

A prison with a lot less room, a lot less company, and a free cruise in whatever ocean or body of water he was in, “At least he could have provided some sort of drink or at least some a magazine,” Genji murmured.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and opted instead to try and meditate. He did his best to get comfortable, letting the body relax, calling upon the many mantras the monks had taught him, reciting them carefully and making sure to speak each syllable. The cloud of thoughts in Genji's mind slowly began to ease, allowing him more focus and a bit more peace of mind despite the situation. There was no need to get upset.

He just had to put his trust in someone that may not be the most reliable of people. Blind faith though and what his brother would call naïve optimism though were both things Genji had kept from his younger years. 

The time passed and Genji wasn't sure of how many hours had gone by before there was a feeling of being dragged out of the water, sending him bumping against the wall. He kept quiet though, not sure who it was grabbing the box. He strained his sense for some indication but none seemed forth coming but the sound of a motor could be heard now and the feeling of moving which meant he was on a boat.

There was a sharp tap at the side, and the familiar dull tone of Reaper, “Its me,”

“Oh that's good to know. I thought you were just the mail man cruising the shoreline for packages to mail,” Genji retorted back, feeling a strange sense of relief knowing it was Reaper, “Can you let me out now?”

“No,” Reaper responded, “Not yet,”

Genji let out a frustrated groan, “I have been out of the box since I was sixteen. I did not think I would be forced back in it,” The cyborg retorted.

There was a long pause of silence from Reaper before he gave a snort but otherwise didn't respond. Either the undertone of that comment had gone over the mercenary's head or he didn't see any reason to comment and get dragged into a battle of words he wasn't prepared to handle.

The cyborg grumbled, trying to adjust to get comfortable again, “Really you should have given me the option to pay extra for shipping and handling,”

The only response was a kick to the side of the container by Reaper and the hum of the engine as they moved along. From the holes in the top, all Genji could really determine was it was growing darker meaning twilight was falling upon them. At some point the engine went dead and the container was hefted up and thrown into something else, a car Genji would surmise from the hum of a softer engine. He slumped against the side of his strange cage, closing his eyes, “How long before I get out?”

“Be patient,” Reaper murmured.

“Easy for you to say. You aren't shoved in a box,” Genji sighed, leaning his forehead against the side some, “Why are you doing all this?”

There was no answer from Reaper to the question, only the soft hum of the car engine and the slight jostling of the vehicle when going over a bump. Another sigh escaped Genji as he let his mind wander off again. Maybe everything going on today would make sense.

Or just get more confusing. At this point being outside the box would be a great first step in making the day a bit better. 

Genji was just about to shut down his systems into a sleep mode when the container was hefted up and a few minutes later, the lid pulled off and Reaper looking down at him, “There,”

With a groan, the cyborg sat up, hunching his shoulders as he slowly got to his feet. One benefit of his new form at least was he didn't have to worry about his limbs having fallen asleep during all that. He stretched as best he could, taking in his new surroundings, “Next time I take a cruise with you, I'm booking the tickets. The accommodations were small, the food was awful, and there was no entertainment to be had. Not even a pool. We are booking a Disney crew next time,” 

Reaper just gave a snort, stepping away across the room as Genji looked around. It had the charm of some beat up apartment with metal walls, strangely enough. Probably a work building converted to living quarters in one of the poorer districts of a city. All it was was a small living room with an old arm chair, a TV pushed into the corner with stacks of miscellaneous movies and a beat-up laptop that Genji was sure was probably something his grandfather had used from how large and clunky it was.

There was no decoration other than a faded carpet covered in mud and probably other things from the multitude of stains. An unused, empty kitchen was tucked into the dark corner to the right and the cobwebs were more than apparent on the old appliances. Genji glanced over to where Reaper was standing, crossing his arms and watching Genji silently, “Your taste in decoration is....interesting I must say. Sort of a... crazed gunman look? It suits you?”

Reaper just tilted his head some, his body language not so tense showing there was some amusement found in the statement before he jerked his head some towards one of the two doors at the other side of the room, “Bathroom on the left. Bedroom on the right. Living room do whatever you want. No internet. Hot water only after nine o'clock,”

“The accommodations are amazing,” Genji drawled, “But why did you bring me here?”

“So I can take my time,” Reaper responded, moving to the lounge chair and sinking into it, propping his feet up on an overturned crate that once held beers long, long ago. 

“Take your time doing what? Killing me through sheer confusion or are you trying to give me Stockholme Syndrome?” Genji asked stepping out of the container and starting to wander his new prison some, hands still bound, “Aren't you worry I may escape?”

“You won't. Bedroom locks from outside,” Reaper responded, picking up the remote to turn on the TV, “I'll kill you on my terms,”

Genji let out a frustrated sigh, looking over his shoulder at the mercenary, “Kill me. Don't kill me. Look, even I know that you aren't going to kill me for some reason. Just,” he paused, turning around to fully regard the mercenary, “I want some sort of answer,”

The TV was playing some old daytime soap opera, the kind of show Genji remembered his mother having a soft spot for watching when he would return from school. He remembered having to sit quietly through those shows, eagerly awaiting their end so he could finally put cartoons on. If he made a sound, his mother, taking more after his solemn brother, would frown and give Genji a look of irritation before turning it to the news.

Putting the news on had always been her silent way of telling Genji he was to be denied his precious cartoon violence for being a naughty child. Still it seemed strange Reaper was even watching it. He seemed more the type to either watch wrestling or some sort of angst-ridden teen drama. Genji shook his head some, hunching his shoulder.

Reaper, it seemed, wasn't going to even try to answer. Turning on the TV was more or less Reaper's way of saying Genji should just wander around or go stand in a corner until the mercenary thought of what he even wanted to do about his guest. Something Genji wasn't about to stand for. The cyborg straightened up and moved over to Reaper. For a short moment, Genji paused beside the chair before with little effort,all but jumped into Reaper's lap. The move seemed to catch Reaper by surprise, the mercenary jerking back, trying to reach for his guns only to grab onto Genji's hip rather harshly by accident pulling Genji off balance to collide backwards into the mercenary due to the fact his bound hands kept him from bracing himself. Reaper was tensing up like a cat that had been startled and Genji swore he even heard Reaper hiss like one.

“So again, I ask, now that I have your attention,” Genji began, sitting up straight again, still in the mercenary's lap, “why did you do all this and don't tell me because you want to kill me. We discussed this,” Genji turned his head to regard the show, stretching out over the tense mercenary's lap, “You can kill me but you don't want to. Just give me a reason,”

Again there was a long pause. Reaper was sitting rigidly, staring at Genji and it was hard to tell what he was feeling. Genji though allowed him some time to speak, wishing his hands weren't bounds o he could cross his arms and try and look somewhat intimidating. Finally, slowly, Reaper moved to place his hands on Genji's shoulders, almost tentatively before firming up the grip.

“I can touch you,” Reaper said, his tone a bit softer, almost a bit unsure of how to phrase what he needed to say entirely.

Instead he pulled his hands away to take off the gloves, revealing those tortured, dead looking hands before reaching out to touch Genji again. Light touches but not curious ones. If anything, there seemed to be some sort of strange comfort taken in being able to touch freely. Genji shifted, a bit uncomfortable but not about to say anything. For some reason, Reaper always seemed the calmest during one of his bouts of needing to touch, even if it was a small touch and even more so when he took a glove off.

It was a strange sort of comfort. Touchings someone wasn't too large of a deal, Genji supposed. Anyone could touch anyone. As soon as that thought crossed his mind though, Genji paused, a slow realization building. 

Anyone could touch anyone.

Except Reaper. The way his touch had drained Doctor Bolgriv of his very life... Genji turned to regard Reaper who had settled his hands at last back on Genji's shoulder's. The fact Reaper could touch him and there seemed to be no effect to Genji's body, probably due to the half artificial components of his body, meant something really important to the mercenary. Someone who could react and was alive and could handle whatever experiment had rendered him unable to interact with living creatures was probably exeedingly rare. 

It was even possible Genji was the first individual to provide some sort of comfort socially to someone who had spent so long without it. Reaper was most likely keeping him for some strange sort of company although at this point, it seemed more like he was treating Genji as a pet animal he found, not quiet a human being. 

“So not killing me has something to do with touching me? Am I the new lap pet you stroke when evily plotting your next murder now?” Genji asked, tilting his head.

Reaper gave a snort but didn't say anything, one hand still on Genji's shoulder as the other one went down one arm, tracing the seems of the metal without much thought. It seemed the mercenary was back to playing the silent game.

Genji reached up with his bound hands to take the ungloved hand of Reaper in his own, turning it over between both his robotic ones, studying it a little more closely, “Can't you tell me one reason? I know you keep saying you hate me, but even given what I know you've done, I can't exactly hate you back. I used to when it was easier and I feel just... a little bit strange being so cordial with someone I know would eliminate any of my friends,” He sighed, tracing over the small scars on the flesh, “My brother would call me foolish for wanting to try and understand what is going through your mind,”

“Or stupid,” Reaper offered, letting Genji play with his hand, flexing the fingers some.

Up close, Genji could see the barest hints of scars, as if the flesh had been sewn together and ran his fingers over them, tracing them. Idly his mind wandered to thoughts of just how much of Reaper's body was similarly marked up before realizing just what he was doing.

Well, he was moderately surprised. In all honesty, a playboy didn't change his radar when switching forms. Attraction had not died within him and Overwatch had its fare shares of aesthetically appealing people. The surprise was more in the fact he was perhaps starting to get curious about what Reaper really looked like. Just another mystery that was surrounding the mercenary,”

“So I've been told by my brother. I think you two would get along. Dark, quiet, brooding, and tortured pasts,” Genji let go of Reapers hand, leaning back to rest against the arm rest, taking up the entirety of Reaper's lap, “So now what? Do I go free or do I just stay here forever?”

“What would you do next?” Reaper asked, lifting his head to regard the TV again.

Genji paused for a moment before answering, “Probably go back. Get my sword and any other personal effects that could be used as links to others. Also would want to take the Harpy Disruptor back to Winston. That device in the hands of Talon,” He shook his head, “It seems like it would end in some sort of tragedy. It harms omnics which I cannot tolerate, but I'm sure it could be calibrated to have harmful effects towards any mechanical being,”

“Typical,” was the sarcastic sounding response from Reaper. He set his hands on one of Genji's leg, the uncovered hand idly tracing those black nails against it, a feeling that was registering as rather pleasant to the sensors there, “I have your sword with me,”

Genji tilted his head, “Oh? Where are you keeping it? In that strange cartoon space where you just seem to pull things out of nowhere? Where you keep your ridiculous number of guns?” the cyborg asked.

Reaper stared for a moment before pulling a hand back. That strange black fog riled up, as if coming from Reaper, Genji noted, solidifying soon into Genji's blade. The mercenary tilted his head, gripping the handle before opening his hand again and dispelling the sword without a word. It was clear he wasn't going to give it back just yet.

“So when do I get it back? I would not like to bother Torbjörn to make another one. I swear if you don't kill me, he is with how suspicious he is of anything mechanical that can string four words together,” Genji shifted some, holding up his bound hands, “And perhaps you will let me go?”

“No,” Reaper stated bluntly, earning a frustrated sigh from Genji.

“Fine then. I stay in Hotel Death. What will I be eating? Dust and cobwebs?” Genji's tone was becoming frustrated some, the confusion becoming more a nuisance now, “Or will there be a special of whatever you found in the nearest dumpster?”

“I'll go buy what you need,” was Reaper's dull response.

Genji gave a snort, “Going to summon money out of your cloud of weapons? Do you even have any money?”

“Its in the closet,” Was the blunt reply, Reaper jerking his head towards the bedroom.

“So what, you just keep stacks of money in your closet? You sound like my great grandmother and how she was afraid of banks stealing it and so hid it under her mattress,” Genji retorted, scowling. 

Reaper gave a snort leaning back with a slouch to watch the TV from around Genji, “Banks always call the police when I walk in,”

“Can't really blame them,” Genji grumbled. The cyborg scowled, raising his bound hands to his face to pull off the mask, wanting to let Reaper see the glare not just feel it, “This is ridiculous. I am not going to be your prize, your pet, or whatever it is you have in mind. I'll escape. Given enough time I can get away from just a pair of handcuffs and a locked door,”

“You aren't a pet,” Reaper growled out, turning his head.

Genji was silent, sullenly staring off, hands clenching into fists. Reaper was helping in a strange way but it seems the motives for that help were still vague and thus, honestly, Genji had no idea what would happen next. His mind was on what the others were doing now. No doubt they would be worried or thinking he was another casualty of Reaper. It had been a few days without contact and whatever they had done to jam his communications unit seemed to be a fix he would need medical attention to get back online. Alone without communication, helpless to fight Talon as they worked on perfecting a device that could bring incredible harm to the omnics and who knows how many others, and stuck with this confusion regarding a mercenary that he had thought had just been easy to see as an enemy, Genji was feeling more than a little despondent now.

There were too many holes, too many unknowns to navigate this situation and it was starting to wear down on Genji's rather resilient mental barriers. 

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sudden loss of Reaper, scowling as he clutched onto the chair as the mercenary vanished in a cloud of black swirling smoke before materializing again. There seemed something almost fluid about how Reaper managed to do that, almost like a swarm of insects, still it seemed to be beyond science's scope as to how and why he was like this.

Reaper materialized a short distance away, staring at Genji silently. The cyborg just looked away, focusing on the screen of the TV, frowning. He would need to escape, Reaper's confusing good will or not. 

“Why?” Reaper asked finally, his voice a low, irritated rasp.

“Why what?” Genji snapped, his tone short.

“Why do you care so much for those machines?” The question caused Genji to glance at the other, still scowling. It was a question that Genji heard far too often for his taste. Even among friends it was a question that was always asked, even if at times it was one others tried to broach a lot more gently. To some it seemed strange to have any sort of sympathy for the omnics or perhaps the scars of the crisis simply refused to heal.

He closed his eyes, blowing out a sigh, “Zenyatta. He is like family to me as are the other monks. When I was at my lowest, when I was so close to giving in, he showed me how to let go and accept. With them, I am home. I am no longer isolated. I am no longer …” he paused to give a quiet laugh, sitting up in the chair, giving an almost amused, bittersweet look at Reaper, “I don't suppose you would care or notice if anyone was staring at you like you were some sort of oddity right out of a storybook. That everyone asks if you are doing okay, having to always tell you, remind you, they don't care if you are part machine and you are still Genji to them. No one can just look and not bring it up at least once. I never felt like Genji for a long time after my rebirth,”

Reaper was silent, only crossing his arms as Genji shook his head, slumping back, “I need to do something. Not just for my family, but for a world where maybe,” he shook his head, “Ah, I'm telling this to the wrong person. I doubt you care,”

“I don't,” Reaper agreed. He paused some, tilting his head, “but belonging....why care? Some things don't belong,”

Genji glanced over picking at the hatred put into that single word “things” as if the very sound of it filled him with contempt. The hatred though didn't seem the usual type, direct outwards towards Overwatch or others in general. The tone was more bitter, more inwardly directed. A sense of uncomfortable familiarity crept up at the back of Genji's mind.

“Everything has a place. That is what Zenyatta taught me. There is a place if you search for it,” Genji began slowly, “I do not think you a thing,”

“Don't make me laugh,” Reaper's tone though showed no sense of humor, only more anger welling up as he stalked to the bedroom door.

Genji stood up, following after him, raising his bound hands, “I'm not trying to and I don't think you really have a sense of humor. Listen, I do not know what has happened to you. I do not know why you have seen fit to keep me alive. I cannot say what is even going on. You hate Overwatch agents, but I, for some reason, don't count as one? I'm trying to understand, that is all,”

Reaper looked over his shoulder, “You can't possibly understand,”

“And why would that be? I think I know fairly well what it is like to be an outsider and to have everyone's pity, like some sorry science experiment,” Genji retorted.

The silence was deafening, punctuated only by the sound of Reaper's heavy steps as he moved over to Genji, gripping him by both wrists and leaning over him in a show of intimidation that was only met by a challenging look by the Shimada ninja. They stood like that for a few moments before Reaper let out a low growl, “You are her science experiment,” he spat out, the hatred put on the word “her” causing Genji to tense, “Her greatest achievement. But I? You want to know what I am?” He leaned in, that pale white mask inches from Genji's own, “I'm her Frankenstein monster,”

They stood there again, silently, staring each other down. Even though he couldn't see Reaper's eyes through the mask, the heat of his gaze, filled with so much hatred for one person, the self-loathing that radiated off him, Genji couldn't shake the feeling he was looking into a mirror of what he could have become without Zenyatta. There was some pity for Reaper, there was some anger for what he had done, but more than anything, Genji was becoming aware of a sense of strange compassion as if there was something he could do to stop Reaper from hurting so much just as Zenyatta had done for him.

That though would require a level of trust that Reaper seemed to be rejecting entirely at any small gesture.

“There are many monsters in the world and true, your actions would make you out to be one,” Genji began slowly, “But no monster is inherently evil or entirely without a reason for their hurt,”

“I'm not hurt,” Reaper snarled, letting go of Genji, stepping back as he pulled a glove back on.

“I won't argue with you,” Genji let out a frustrated sigh, dropping his hands, “But regardless of what strange comfort I seem to bring you, how you may want to keep me here and how I still want to understand you, I will put that aside. I will escape. I have to. I cannot simply disregard the world as you can. I cannot be that cold,” he looked down, “I won't tell anyone where you are. I still owe you a debt of gratitude that I am not sure how to express. If the situation wasn't so dire, I wouldn't make such a fuss and probably stay longer just...again. I cannot in good consciousness sit aside like I could in my youth,”

Reaper was silent but that was not new. He watched Genji before stepping closer, pulling the other's hands up to be level with his own chest. He looked down, easily taking off the handcuffs without a word, a gesture that left Genji felt a strange mix of confusion, anger, gratitude, and a burning curiosity as the bindings fell free, idly reaching to rub his freed wrists some, “Why are you-”

“Out,” Reaper all but hissed. There was anger in that one word, anger that seemed out of place from how Reaper usually showed his anger. Almost a bitter sounding statement. 

Genji stood there, bewildered, staring at Reaper before heaving a sigh, shoulders slumping forward, “I don't get you. You seem to change your mind at the drop of a chopstick. You save me, you want to kill me, you don't want to kill me, you don't want me leaving, then you are throwing me out the door. Which is it you really want me to do?”

There was no answer from the mercenary as he stood their, shoulders rigid just staring as he usually did to convey hesitation but at the same time a clear anger or irritation. Intimidating looking or not, to Genji, he seemed to have a sort of uncertainty as if even he wasn't sure what he wanted or didn't have the capacity or desire perhaps to explain it all.

“Why won't you leave? You just said you would,” Reaper asked finally.

Genji paused, considering his answer before shaking his head, moving to slip his mask back on, “Because I sort of need to know how to get back to that base to get that device. I can't, in good conscious, leave it in the hands of Talon, not when it could be used to harm so many. Just tell me that and-”

“They moved it,” Reaper stated bluntly, “So leave,”

Those simple words sent a shiver through Genji as he watched Reaper cross the room to the kitchen, opening up one of the cabinets to start rummaging through whatever he kept in them, “Where did they move it? Why? Just don't say that and give no details!”

Reaper looked over his shoulder before jerking his head to the TV that was still on, “Channel four,” 

Genji let out a frustrated growl before picking up the remote and switching it to channel four. A news channel by the looks of it showing more the day-to-day things. The cyborg dropped the remote in the chair before looking at Reaper, “What am I suppose to be looking for? Secret messages?”

The mercenary just looked over his shoulder again as he pulled out a bag of what looked to be dry cat food, “Story about the new plant comes on sometimes,”

“New plant?” Genji echoed, “What do you-”

“They are testing it. Small town,” he pointed to the screen where it had switched to a story about some sort of automated reactor that was instated near a small town and how it would be changing how power was created for the region. She spoke so quickly though and Genji found himself losing words as he did his best to try and keep up. English was not his first language but given how fluent his own English could be, some people tended to forget that keeping up a mile a minute could still throw him for a loop. Still from what he could decipher, whatever this plant was, it was of some substantial importance.

Genji felt what serve as blood for him go cold and an uneasy feeling settled in the base of his spine, “...that device...they aren't going to use it just against Omnics are they?” He asked quietly. 

Reaper didn't answer, moving to the door, the bag of cat food under one arm. Genji followed after him, feeling that sense of dread grow, “Just tell me as much as you know,”

The mercenary paused at the door, glancing at Genji and then to the TV then back to the cyborg. He tilted his head thoughtfully before turning back to the door turning the handle to open it, “They are going to test it at the plant. No idea what it will do, nor do I care. You're problem,” 

Genji reached out to touch the mercenary's arm in a light hold, causing Reaper to tense up and stare at him even more, “I know, probably it is my problem but right now? Right now, I need your help and that's why I can't just run off. Right now I just need to know if you have a phone or something I can use to call Winston? My communications are still damaged from something they did,”

Reaper just stared at him for a long minute, the only sound the TV in the background before turning, shrugging off Genji's hand and opening the door, “There is a payphone across the street,”

“Better than nothing I guess,” Genji sighed, following after the mercenary. 

Wherever Reaper called home was a rather debilitated place, a burned out warehouse re-made into a practically falling apart apartment building with piles of trash in the hallway and the stale smell of urine, alcohol, and some sort of drug in the air. On the bottom floor, the landlord's door was open showing a tottering old woman, knitting and not paying attention. Probably was either too senile or too use to the riffraff renting to probably turn down someone like Reaper. Still Genji had to give credit to Reaper. Looking for such a tall, dark, foreboding mercenary in an actual apartment building and not some secret cave under a graveyard was a clever way of hiding.

The mercenary moved to the doors at the entryway, slamming them open to let in dirty sunlight that filtered down through the smog in the air. Genji paused to let his visor adjust to the light, polarizing some as he stepped out, his readings indicating a rather alarming amount of pollution in the air. It was no wonder everything in the area looked dried up and dead around them. It was somewhere, that was for sure and from the news being in English, somewhere in the world where that was the most common language. 

Just as Reaper said, across a pitted, ripped up asphalt road in front of the complex was a solitary payphone, an ancient relic of its time. With most people having mobile, the payphone cellar call towers were just around as more an emergency convenience in most parts of the world. The cyborg looked to Reaper who was already moving to where a few dirty bowls sat, starting to pour the food into them. 

Genji just shook his head, wondering what Reaper was even up to before crossing the street to the payphone. He paused though, feeling a bit silly before looking over to Reaper, “Do you have any change?”

Reaper just gave him a blank stare before walking over and handing over a credit chit wordlessly before returning back to the bowls. There was one or two stray cats starting to creep out to investigate the food, one of them daring to rub up against Reaper's leg with a happy meow. The mercenary just crouched down, silently petting the animal as the other strays gathered around as if expecting this feast. 

Genji just decided to add that to his list of confusing things to happen today. Finding out that Reaper apparently fed the stray animals near his home and they seemed to have accepted him as their cat king. 

Or maybe their Reapurr King. 

Genji snickered a bit at the pun he made as he dialed in Winston's number. The call screen glowed and flickered dully as it connected. It took three rings before the screen winked to active and then to Winston's face. The gorilla's expression filled with surprise and relief, “Genji! You are alive!”

“Surprisingly so. Let me tell you this Winston. The last few days have been strange,” Genji shook his head, “But that isn't why I'm calling. We have a situation that could be a lot worse than imagined,” 

Winston's entire countenance changed at those words, growing more serious as he gave a nod, “I understand. We can talk later then about what on earth has happened to you these past days,”  
he gave a slight smile, “Just like the old days. Duty first, catch-up later. But I digress. What is the situation then?”

“Talon got their hands on a device, something able to knock out Omnic mechanisms, but I fear it could knock out a lot more if changed such as disabling any technological device in range. I've gotten from a... reliable source that they may be testing it soon on a live target. Specifically a power plant to be opened up near a small town? It was on the news. Ah...Variant Hills?” Genji offered, shaking his head, “She was speaking a little too quickly to catch it,”

“Verdant Hills. They are planning the first automated nuclear-fission power plant to be open. Actually it is not far from your location. About a five hour drive north,” Winston murmured, the clack of keys audible, his gaze turning to some computer screen off the call camera, “And you think Talon will show up?”

“In the next day or two, maybe even hours,” Genji murmured, “I don't know how much time we have but I am going in if it is that close to see if I'm not too late to stop all this. Back-up though from any agents nearby would be appreciated,” 

Winston squinted, looking more worried, “We do not have the budget we use to to move agents around. Tracer could get their as she is not far. I can at least book a commercial flight. Other than that,” Winston shook his head, his expression sympathetic, “Not much else we can do. Everyone else is too far and would take a litle longer to get there. I'll try to get in touch with as many as I can and can communicate it to you-”

“My communication is shot. Why I'm at a payphone on a borrowed credit chit,” Genji murmured, “I need a few repairs but that is all. I am still more than capable of active duty and don't get Mercy in here to scold me or I'll be conveniantly out of time,”

Winston gave a soft chuckle, “Noted. Call in when you arrive at your destination or find some other method if you can. You know my number,”

“Understood,” Genji sighed, leaning forward on one arm, frustrated with the situation. He turned his head to look at where Reaper still was feeding the cats, petting the animals without a bloody care in the world, “I'll...try to get help of someone here that helped me escape. Verdant Hills...any mercenary hiring spots? Black market stops?” Genji inquired, “I'm sure I can find someone there on loan,”

Winston gave a snort, “Nothing really turning up on the surface. Would ask someone who knows that general area in terms of that sort of crowd. Seems to be a vigilante though working in the general area that might be of help? I'm not sure,” Winston heaved a heavy sigh, “I wish there was more I could do for you Genji,”

“I'll keep in contact if something comes up you can help us with,” Genji gave a tired smile, “No rest for us eh?”

“Seems that way. Don't push yourself too far Genji,” Winston offered a small smile which the cyborg returned.

“Same to you, Winston,” With a last nod to the screen, he hung up, still leaning against it as he closed his eyes.

He needed help. Even he knew this was not the kind of mission he could take on alone. Genji glanced over to Reaper, watching him silently before straightening up and moving over to the mercenary, crossing his arms some, “So, Reaper,” he began slowly, “I was just thinking-”

“No,” Was the quick, blunt answer from Reaper who didn't even bother to look up.

“You didn't even let me ask you anything!” Genji retorted, frowning some. 

“I know what you are going to ask. The answer is no,” Reaper slid a hand gentle over the belly of one of the cats who was meowing happily, swatting lightly at his arm.

Genji just moved to crouch down as well, reaching a hand out to let one of the cats sniff it, “Why not? What could it possibly hurt to help me? You can still keep an eye on me and all. Poke me when you feel like it,”

“I don't help Overwatch agents. I kill them,” Reaper stated bluntly.

“I'm still alive,” Genji pointed out.

Reaper just gave a snort, “One exception,”

The cyborg gentle rubbed two fingers over the small head of a kitten that had crept into the crowd, keeping his eyes on the small animal, “Just this once, can it be put aside? I really need help. So many lives could be at stake here,” he looked over to Reaper, “Don't you care?”

“Not particularly,” The answer was dull, uninterested and without a hint of sympathy.

Apparently human life didn't matter all too much. Genji dropped his gaze to the cats, “What about all the orphaned cats then? Seems you like them. If all their owners died or the like. Probably get euthanize,”

Reaper paused for a second, tilting his head in thought as if he might agree before shaking his head,“Still no,” 

Genji let out a frustrated growl, draping his arms over his knees, “I bet if I was a cat you would help me,”

Reaper turned his head to regard Genji blankly, “I don't help furies,” he stated bluntly.

“Jokes on you,” Genji retorted, “My fursona is a ferret,”

There was a long pause of silence in which Reaper continued to stare at Genji who gave a defensive shrug, “What? Every hot blooded youth at least got curious at some point in their life and made one. Don't judge me. I like ferrets. Little sock ninjas,” 

There was still silence as Reaper continued to watch, not making any indication he was going to speak causing Genji to feel a tad bit foolish, yet regardless continued to speak, reaching back out to touch a kitten, “I used to have one. A ferret I mean. She was my little partner in crime,” he paused, feeling the melancholy of the situation settle in once more, “I wonder if Hanzo bothered to feed her after my supposed death,”

Just the thought of his little thief, alone, left in her cage or sold off brought a slight pang to Genji. Just another regret to the growing list he supposed. The situation was bleak. Overwatch wasn't what it once was but those agents involved and returning to be active were doing all they could to make a little difference in the world even if the world wanted to turn a blind eye to the growing crisis. Talon was just one organization of many that needed to be put down for the good of all. 

The sudden touch to his shoulder was unexpected, causing Genji to jump some, turning towards Reaper. The mercenary had reached out to put a hand on Genji's shoulder, his gloved fingers lightly pressed to the metal in what passed as an expression of perhaps sympathy from Reaper. A small gesture, yet one that showed at least there was some sort of actual human reaction still from Reaper that wasn't just hatred and anger. 

Genji reached up to touch the hand, more to comfort himself a little more than anything. There was a little faith and a little hope to be had yet. 

“I could really use your help again. Just...you don't even have to help more than maybe giving me a lift to the location? Maybe stop out at a place to pick up some mercenaries?” Genji asked in a soft voice, “I know you hate Overwatch and nothing is going to change that but maybe, just come along? Just to watch us idiots flounder trying to do a little good? If anything, afterwards you can try and shoot us all dead after giving us a minute to run as fast as we can from you,”

Reaper hadn't pulled back his hand, silently watching Genji before glancing away back to the few cats still lingering after getting their fill of food, “Fine,”

Genji jerked up, staring at Reaper, “Really?”

“I'll give you a ride,” Reaper clarified, “Take you to where you can find some idiot to hire. Maybe stay to reap the benefits of the aftermath of this foolish stunt,”

“See usually I would be offended that you just want to watch us with expectations of us failing and easy pickings but the fact you are willing to do even that is a blessing,” Genji felt his mood rise.

Nimbly he he rose to his feet, stretching some, “And we will need to pick up Tracer from the airport, so wondering if you could extend your generous mercy of not killing me to her temporarily?”

“I make no promises after your stupid mission,” Reaper drawled, rising to his own feet. 

A slight chuckle escaped Genji, probably born of the absurdity of the situation “That is still better than shoot to kill on sight,” he looked about, “So where is your car,”

“I don't have one,” Reaper stated bluntly, “I borrowed one,”

Genji tilted his head, “Who would let you borrow a car-” he stopped at Reapers long silent stare which spoke louder than any words could of where that car was, “You stole it and then totaled it so no one could track you,”

Reaper just crossed his arms as Genji sighed, “So how are we getting there? Going to ride your ghost magic carpet or the like?”

The mercenary just gave a snort, moving to the roadway. He held both hands out, the familiar black mist gathering, looking as if pouring out from inside his clothing and his very being to grow thicker, starting to forming up only to pull back to reveal a motorcycle, clearly a newer model, that was a sleek black color with some white highlights and intricate skull patterns along the front and back. 

Genji had a sneaking suspicion that Reaper hadn't paid for this vehicle either. 

Without a word, Reaper swung a leg over the cycle, glancing over to Genji and giving a jerk of his head, a silent command for the cyborg to get on. Genji didn't ask twice, climbing up behind Reaper, tentatively at first in wrapping his arms about Reaper's chest, “arigatou gozaimasu,” he murmured, thanking him in his own native tongue. The English thank you sometimes never seemed enough to express the sincerity of thanks to Genji. 

“Hold on tight,” was the half growled out response as Reaper revved the engine before putting it into gear. Genji's grip tightened up and he leaned in, resting his chin on Reaper's shoulder. Honestly it was strange to think they went from trying to kill each other a few days ago to now he was all but clinging to Reaper's back as he tore off down the road as if the speed limit was a suggestion, not a rule. Probably for Reaper every rule in the book was only a small suggestion.

Still he was helping again. Helping when he didn't need to. Genji allowed himself a slight smile at that from behind his mask. Maybe there was some small part of Reaper that did want to help. Genji gave a slight snort.

Honestly though, if anything, Genji would put money on Reaper really just wanting some entertainment and watching him flounder. Or perhaps there was a protective element to this because Genji was one of the few if only people he could truly touch and hadn't simply run away without warning. The reasons why Reaper was being moved to help, even when it was clearly putting him in conflict with his own desires to kill all of Overwatch, were still ague.

Either way, Genji was thankful to have some assistance. For now, there was only the two of them, the roar of the motorcycle engine, and the hazy sunlit sky on the road to another crisis.

Things were really starting to feel almost like old times just with different faces.


	4. Savior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter with more emphasis on action than on wit and the like, but necessary to push things along to the next part! Chapter ive is where there will be a lot more personal heart to heart going on c:
> 
> Was fun to write and long! Dear goodness, another doozy of a chapter with so many characters to juggle but I hope you enjoy this latest chapter <3

Chapter Four: Savior 

 

It was four hours into the trip before a large city began to creep onto the horizon, growing larger and larger, the traffic growing heavier and being enough to even cause Reaper to slow down from his breakneck speed. The buildings closed in around them then, a cage of modern architecture echoing with the sound of car horns and people going about their lives. It was no Verdant Hills, that was for sure but Genji was sure Reaper would explain the detour. 

Maybe.

The cyborg turned his head some to regard some pedestrians on the sidewalk obvious watching them as they came to a halt at a stoplight. The fact that Reaper leaned over, revving at the engine of his bike impatiently just drew more attention to the odd pair. Just a glance toward them had the pedestrians quickly looking away, finding their phones suddenly very interesting as if they hadn't been rudely staring. He gave a tsking sound before turning to slide his hands to rest on Reaper's shoulders, “So, tall, dark, and gruesome, why are we cruising the city?”

“Verdant Hills doesn't have any mercenary hiring places. Nor an airport,” Reaper answered, his tone a bit irritated as if it was simply that obvious to anyone.

“Makes sense,” Genji murmured, turning his head to stare at a woman who had been giving a disdainful look that quickly melted away into embarrassment as she continued on her way. People always stared when they felt the could get away with it. As soon as any acknowledgment of their staring was made, they were quick to act as if they hadn't. 

Still didn't make the stares and feeling of standing out diminish any, “Would this be a bad time to say that I don't really like cities?”

Reaper didn't answer as the light turned green, surging the bike forward to get ahead of the traffic and push deeper and deeper into the sprawl of the city. Soon the relatively clean streets became older, more pitted with potholes and cracks, small weeds managing to push up in places between the sidewalks. The bus stations became more beat up with a style to them that made Genji feel like they were going back in time about a decade than just moving into the squalor of the city. Eventually Reaper came to a halt in front of a low sitting building with a neon light off to the side pointing down to a basement. 

“Down there,” Reaper murmured, jerking his head to the sign, “Always some rats there,”

“Why is it mercenaries always seem to hang out in dark places like basements? Can't they have a sea side bar with bright colors and a bouncer that doesn't look like they'd like to break us in two?” Genji drawled, slipping off the bike, stretching some. 

Reaper slid off as well, the motorcycle quickly encased in the black fog before vanishing entirely into whatever space Reaper seemed to keep everything. He only crossed his arms, not offering any words of comfort as Genji eyed the bouncer. A portly older man that probably had seen more than his fair share of action despite his looks. Summoning up some of the bravado of his youth when walking anywhere with his father or brother to some shady deal, Genji strode forward with a much more confident swagger than he felt. 

The bouncer frowned, straightening up at they approached before putting an arm out to stop them, “For work or for business?” 

“Business,” Genji answered, keeping his reply short and cold as he had been taught, crossing his arms.

For a moment more, the bouncer eyed them before withdrawing his arm, allowing them admittance, “Don't cause any trouble,”

As soon as they were in through the door, Genji glanced up at Reaper, “Was all that because of you? I feel it was because of you. You seem the type to cause trouble for no reason,”

Reaper gave a snort and Genji could practically feel the eye roll that Reaper was probably given as he crossed his arms, following the cyborg into the bar room. Like most mercenary lounges, there was a bar, no doubt stocked to the brim with every kind of alcohol imaginable, foreign and local, with a long line of booths to the side for doing business in relative privacy. A few pictures dotted the walls, looking as old and faded as the rest of the place, and it seemed today it was filled with more than a few oddball characters. 

“Have we come to a bar near a video game convention or the like?” Genji murmured to Reaper quietly, pleased to hear Reaper give a small sound that could have been a snicker. 

The cyborg looked around eyeing the collection of mercenaries for hire, noting the unsavory look of many of them and feeling already that this as a bad idea. These clearly were not the kind of people to have a shred of decency or want to take a lower pay for the greater good of man kind. Even with his own charm, Genji was not liking his chances of finding some hired help. 

That is, until his eye fell on a single solitary figure sitting in a booth alone, back to the door, sipping a cup of what was probably sake, judging by the small clay flask on the table. Genji would know that bow and dragon tattoo anywhere. 

“Seems we are in luck,” Genji murmured before crossing the room, sliding into the booth comfortably, leaning onto his elbows and resting his chin in his open palms, “Hello brother,”

The shocked look and sputtering from Hanzo as he beheld his brother once more, choking on the sip he had been taking had been so worth the less than glamorous entrance. Sometimes a casual approach was the best approach. The archer gave a cough, glowering some as he sat the cup down, “Genji,” He returned, cold as ever, “I do not see you all these years, thinking you dead, and now, twice within the span of only a few months,”

“Clearly we are destined to meet again and again now, brother,” Genji replied, “And not like our last meeting was met on the best of terms,” He paused before moving to rest his hands now on the table, politely folding them together, “or the best of days,”

Hanzo frowned, picking up the flask to pour more sake into his glass, “What is the occasion for this meeting then?” He glanced to Reaper, “And with a new companion,”

“He's actually just my ride,” Genji clarified, jerking a thumb to Reaper.

For a long moment, Hanzo gave Genji a blank, unimpressed look as if he would have rather not known that information. A look which caused Genji to quickly raise his hands, “Not in that way brother! Like in the sense he gave me a ride here to the city, not the riding you are thinking of! Good grief Hanzo, do you think that little of me?”

“Given your behavior in the past where that is exactly what you meant whenever you said someone was your ride,” Hanzo drawled, “I say you cannot blame me,”

Genji gave a snort, reaching a hand up to remove the mask, “My past escapades aside, escapades I'm sure Reaper has no interest in hearing us discuss,” he glanced to the mercenary who was leaning against the side of the booth, not taking a seat and staring off over the crowd, “I'll just get straight to the point of why I'm bothering you at all brother,”

The cyborg leaned forward some, his shoulders hunching, “There is a situation I need help with. I actually came here to hire a mercenary to help Tracer and I but since you are here, don't have to worry about that, yes?”

Hanzo gave a groan, “You expect me to do this for free,”

“It would be the most honorable thing to do, would it not? Besides, if you are serious about your regrets for killing me,” Genji crossed his arms, giving a narrowed-eyed pointed look, “You would most assuredly help me now,”

A frown crept across the archer's face before he took a sip of his drink although his body language remained relax. Hanzo was always one who was so in control of his body and his reactions, giving very little away to what he thought in that regards. If he had been anyone other than the brother Genji had grown up with, the cyborg would be hard pressed to gleam any sort of information from him. Hanzo's gaze shifted to Reaper as the latter pushed off the wall, stalking out away and out the door without a word. 

“Your ride seems to be leaving,” Hanzo commented. 

Genji gave a shrug, “He'll be back,” At least, Genji was sure he would be, “He wants to see me utterly fail and is more a spectator for this mission. Or perhaps, better to say,” Genji gave a grin, “A specter-tor,”

The unimpressed, disappointed look was back after that pun before Hanzo returned his gaze to his drink, “You really have not changed in some regards, Genji,”

“But I have in many others,” Genji let out a sigh, glancing out over the bar, “Like now I have a goal in life, a direction to achieve that isn't just for myself. This mission,” he paused, his gaze hardening some, “there are many lives at stake if nothing is done. I cannot do it alone and for how much I plead of Reaper, so far his help has been minimal,”

Hanzo took a slow, thoughtful sip of his drink watching his brother but saying nothing. The cyborg brought his gaze to his robotic hands, folded on the table, barely registering how tight his grip had become, “I cannot do this alone and although I will have Tracer's help soon, if all goes well, I am not sure it will be enough. Seeing you here, I had some hope that perhaps, even though our own pasts have been turbulent and regrets still hang heavy, that you would be willing to lend your aid. Even only if it is just for this task,”

“You are still naïve about how the world is,” Hanzo responded at last.

A hollow laugh escaped Genji, his gaze still on his hands, “I know. Some things don't change and I still want to expect that there is still some goodwill in this world. I like to think I can make a difference,”

The elder Shimada got to his feet slowly, putting money on the table to cover his tab and appeared to be leaving. Genji didn't move, keeping his gaze fixed on his hand, staring hard and keeping his expression school to not show the disappointment welling up in him. Not in Hanzo no. He knew his brother and he knew a Shimada did not act often with their heart. In the line of work their family had been in, he couldn't really blame anyone for that ideology. It was how people got hurt. It was how people got killed.

Maybe listening to his feelings about things had been the real reason that Genji had been a liability to begin with.

Still, help or no help, there were lives at stake and perhaps it was naivety or perhaps just a desire to make a change, to show that not all the world had to be without its pleasures and without its own beauty, but he would get Tracer and find victory somehow. The rough hand that came down on his shoulder, almost awkwardly, as if the person was unsure if such a gesture was allowed jerked Genji from his thoughts, looking up.

Hanzo looked away, not making eye contact, his posture apprehensive, “So, I suppose we should meet up with this....partner of yours?”

Genji stared at Hanzo for a few seconds before quickly getting to his feet, putting one of his own hands on top of Hanzo and giving a small smile, “You're coming with me then,”

A small, tense nod followed the statement, Hanzo still not making eye contact, “I...am not sure how I feel about this, about anything, Genji. It is still...rather a shock to know you are alive,” this time me looked askance, “Barely alive. What has been done to you I...it is still, it is hard to say. Hard to accept,”

Genji only gave a nod. He was use to these words, this reaction. Time and time again he had been confronted with people giving him a sympathetic look, expressing how sorry they were, and in the past, those feelings had been just as damaging as those that spit at him for being “part abomination”. He had come to terms with that over the years but the sting was still there some knowing this came from family.

Hanzo would need time but Genji could hope that maybe he too could accept what was done, accept the past, and start again. Their relationship would never be as it once was but something new could always be built on the ruins of what once was.

“I will not question your motives, brother. I am just glad to have your aid,” Genji replied, moving to slip his mask back into place, “And glad, this time, we can stand on the same side,”

“I will see if I live to regret joining you on this madman's task,” Hanzo murmured, looking to the door, “You have changed, but in some regards...”

Genji tilted his head as he walked alongside his brother towards the exit, “I know I haven't changed entirely but I know that disapproving tone of yours anywhere,”

“Your choice in relationship partners is still questionable. This one you have looks as sketchy as that biker gang leader you took up with,” Hanzo frowned, pushing open the door, “Just as personable and quiet with an aura of death,”

The cyborg gave a frustrated sigh, “Brother, you cannot compare Masato to Reaper. Reaper has actually killed people! Also he is not my boyfriend which I know you are trying to imply,”

Hanzo just gave Genji a look, a look that made the younger Shimada cringe just a bit but at the same time feel a sort of warmth swell up inside. It was familiar. That familiar look of blank disbelief his brother would give every time Genji would say something he couldn't believe. It was strange almost how much Genji had missed those sort of looks from his brother.

“What?” Genji asked in response as the moved up the stairwell to the street proper, “Not going to just turn a blind eye to what I know he's done,”

“Well your friend seems to have left you,” Hanzo commented, looking around, “So it seems we are once more at two,”

“We were already at two and a half as he wasn't really going to help anyways,” Genji murmured, looking around.

Reaper wasn't to be found. Like a specter he had flitted off to who knows where and part of Genji was already tensing at the thought that Reaper had went ahead to the airport to wait for Tracer and hope to put a bullet in her head. That thought was not comforting but also made Genji realize he wasn't even sure when Tracer was coming or even if this city had the airport she was coming in on, “Can I borrow your phone?”

Hanzo looked to Genji, eyeing him some before sighing, reaching into his pack, “Did they not give you a phone when they....changed you?”

“Contrary to popular belief, being a cyborg does not mean you come equipped with a hand cellphone, a GPS, and a stable internet connection,” Genji drawled, “My communications unit was knocked out by whatever Talon did to me when in custody though if you must know,”

The elder Shimada handed over a rather plan, albeit old cell phone. Quickly he punched in Winston's number, tilting his head until he heard the click of it being answered, “Hello?”

“Ah! Winston, this is Genji. I'm calling on the phone of my brother. Seems I managed to get one soul to help us. Listen, I was wondering about Tracer and where she is coming and when?” Genji asked.

There were a few clicks of the key before Winston answered, “Added this phone as the point of contact for you, if that is okay,” he began, “As for Tracer, the airport in New Los Grande at around six is what the ticket is slated for,”

Genji nodded, pinging his internal clock, “Half an hour then. I'm just glad I got lucky this was the city I stopped over in,” he gave a slightly relieved sigh before remembering that Reaper now wasn't accounted for and given his vendetta against Overwatch, he might have just put Tracer in harms way inadvertently, “Listen, Winston, there is something I need to tell you,”

“Oh?” The concern was clear in the gorilla's voice, “What is it Genji?”

Genji took a needless breath, only for his words to catch in his throat as a jet black hover car pulled up, one of the latest models out with the glowing decals set to a red color and the license plate completely missing as if it had simply drove off the lot. The doors hissed open as Reaper leaned back in the driver seat, staring at the two, “Uh... I'll tell you later. Ride just showed up,”

“If you say so,” Winston gave a sigh, “I'll use this phone to track your progress for now. Once you meet with Tracer you can use her communicator. I could also use this phone to call if need be too, if that is all right,” 

“Just as long as my brother doesn't have to pay the phone bill, that is fine,” Genji gave a small laugh as that earned him a look from his brother, “Talk to you soon Winston,”

Genji clicked off the phone handing it to his brother before looking at Reaper, “I thought you had run off to kill Tracer,”

Reaper just stared back, one hand on the wheel before turning his gaze to address the radio which was currently blasting music that might have been from the eighties if Genji had to place it. The sort of old timer music that seemed out of place for Reaper's usual aesthetics. Hanzo stepped forward, moving pass Genji to sit in the passenger seat up front, crossing his arms and ignoring the slight huff from Genji, “Children in the back Genji,” he simply said. 

“Oh, oh that is cold brother. Real cold,” Genji grumbled but move to slide into the back seat. He leaned up between the two seats, looking between them, “Its because I'm the youngest and the most handsome one here isn't it?”

“Most annoying one yes,” Reaper cut in, putting the car back into drive.

Genji put a hand to his heart, giving a sound of exaggerated disgust, “Oh Reaper! The betrayal here! Burned by someone I was considering a friend!”

Reaper just reached up with one hand, keeping his eyes on the road to push Genji back into his seat earning a snort from Hanzo and the ghost of a smile but whatever comment he was thinking, the elder Shimada wisely kept it to himself, “So we meet your other friend at the airport?”

“Yeah yeah,” Genji paused, looking to Reaper, “Where did you get the car or should I just assume, like everything else, you stole it?”

The silence from the mercenary was all Genji needed to know to confirm his suspicious, earning another sigh, “Can I at least ask why you stole it?”

“Four people can't ride a motorbike,” Reaper bluntly stated. 

“Clearly you've never been to our hometown,” Genji drawled earning another slight smile from Hanzo as he raised a hand to rub at the short hair of his beard.

“Aye. Fitting four onto one motorcycle is possible if one puts your mind to it but last time you did that Genji, I do recall you being in the ER with a broken arm,” Hanzo pointed out.

Genji gave a quiet laugh, “When you are perched between the handlebars and not holding on tight enough when making sudden stops, you can be thrown a good distance,”

The conversation seemed almost surreal to Genji. Here he was, sitting in the backseat of a car that Reaper, someone hunting Overwatch agents and had threatened to kill him and then turned to helping him, and his brother, someone who had almost murdered him in the past and who was still hesitant to call him brother, talking about his reckless youth. Idly Genji wondered if he was asleep and would wake up still chained to the table in Talon's base.

Reaper didn't speak really but Genji could tell he was listening by the slight tilt of his head. Maybe he himself wasn't the most social of individuals, but at the very least, Reaper seemed to take some pleasure in listening to conversation going on around him. An unseen smile crept onto Genji's face as he leaned forward, one arm resting on each headrest, “So, I should fill you in on the details then brother. More or less Talon has their hands on a device slated to be tested in Verdant Hills. It has the capacity to knock out any omnics but may have been changed to knock out more than just that,” 

Hanzo gave a small nod, his gaze on the road ahead, “Can yo confirm this?”

“He can,” Reaper cut in, “I nearly took the job to be on guard duty,”

That caused Genji to pause, looking to the mercenary, “You.. were offered a job? When?”

Reaper didn't response as he began to merge on the highway heading towards the airport. Genji let out a sigh, shaking his head, “Anyways, we need to get in, stop them, take back the device and get it to Winston or make a valiant effort of it. Sounds like they might be loading up on defense though if they tried to hire Reaper to play offensive,”

“Indeed. Would help to get some schematics of the place to be able to determine any points of entry that could be used,” Hanzo put in thoughtfully, “You clearly haven't thought this plan through,”

“It is hard to think a plan through when you heard about it mere hours ago and are working with limited resources. Once Tracer is with us and perhaps we manage to get a vigilante in the region to assist, then we got a team and know what we can pull. Trust me. When have I ever not come through when it was important?”

Hanzo just glanced over his shoulder at Genji with a blank look, “Do you really want me to answer that?”

Genji paused for a second before shaking his head, “On second thought, consider it a hypothetical question,”

“Either way, we still need a better plan,” Hanzo raised a hand to musingly stroke his chin before glancing to Reaper, “Anything else you could shed light on?”

Again, there was no answer forthcoming from Reaper other than a tilt of his head to acknowledge Hanzo had spoke to him before turning back to the road. Genji patted his brother on the shoulder, “He's not a very talkative one, don't be offended,”

'I'm not,” Hanzo gave a pointed look at the younger Shimada, “But I still think your choice in partners-”

“Not my boyfriend Hanzo. Reaper? At least clarify that for him? “Genji asked shaking his head.

“Sit down and let me drive, dear,” Was Reaper's vague response coupled with a look back at Genji. 

The comment took Genji a bit aback more for the fact Reaper didn't out right denied it and seemed to take some pleasure in playing along, or at least, making a small joke out of it, “Reaper. You are getting a sense of humor! I'm so proud of you I'll forgive you for trying to give my brother the wrong idea about us being friends with benefits,”

“What benefits?” Reaper asked dully earning a snort from Hanzo who was doing his best to keep a smirk off his face and only making Genji sigh, sinking back into the back seat.

“Oh, I see how it is. Make fun of Genji because he's the only one who doesn't sit solemnly, staring into the sunset, and brooding about all the people he is going to kill and or brooding about the past,” Genji murmured. 

His words got no response from either mercenary. With another sigh, Genji fell silent, leaning up against the door and looking out the window as the scenery passed by quickly in a dizzying display of dull colors in the late noon sunlight over the city. The whole place looked peaceful from the high ramparts of the highway that snaked around the outskirts, only the tall building tops seen, masking the masses of people moving below. It was a peaceful sight, enough to even calm Genji's mind some of all that had happened. 

He glanced over to where Hanzo sat, arms crossed, head tilted down so his chin nearly touched his chest, arms crossed, and eyes closed. He appeared to be asleep but experience had taught Genji his brother was merely dozing and any small twitch towards him would have the archer ready to attack in the blink of an eye. Reaper seemed just as relaxed, leaned back, driving with one hand, the other draped against the door while the radio rambled on about ads for some sort of enhancement for hair. 

There was a lot of mystery there, from Reaper's motives, to what killing Overwatch agents would even accomplish. For all his brother would disagree, Genji wasn't a fool about how the world worked. Reaper had done his fair share of killing without remorse and no amount of kindness was going to simply take that out of Reaper's persona. Eventually Genji knew he would have to confront that side of Reaper.

More and more though, Genji found himself wishing he could push it aside and prove Reaper could simply change his persona just to not lose the strange sort of friendship the seemed to be establishing. At the very least, the fact Reaper didn't fuss over him, be sympathetic towards him, and treat him like a pity case but rather more as an actual person now was more than he got from even those people he knew for years. 

That thought caused Genji to jolt some, blinking, and glad that he had lost the ability to blush in that minute. What was he doing? Pining? Being a love sick teenager sighing over some dark character as if love could change everything? He gave a shake of his head, moving to roll down the window and let some air into the car as if that would be enough to banish those sorts of thoughts. For one thing, Genji was pretty sure Reaper would just stare at him and walk away slowly if he had any inkling Genji had any sort of positive opinion. 

The arrival at the airport came quickly though, the place bustling with anxious relatives and more than a fair share of people rushing about in transit. Genji felt himself tensing up already at just the sheer amount of people but nevertheless moved to open the door of the car, “I'll go find Tracer then,” he murmured, looking back at his brother and Reaper, “Just stay here then and discuss strategy or what have you? Manly talk? Sports and that I suppose,” 

There was only silence and two pairs of eyes staring at Genji, one in resigned irritation and the other with the blank face of a mask. Genji just shook his head before leaving the car, already feeling eyes turning to fall upon him. He took a deep breath to calm the ripple of anxiety before stoically stalking forward into the airport.

It was easy enough to find Tracer in her bright orange jumpsuit at the baggage claim, leaning over, squinting as the bags passed by. Genji couldn't help silently coming up behind her, leaning down next to her, “So what are we looking for then, Lena?” He asked casually although a teasing tone lingered in his voice. 

Tracer gave a yelp, jumping back some before letting out a short laugh, shaking her head, “Genji!”

“In the flesh, well, sort of,” He gave a soft laugh, straightening up to spread his arms, “No hug?”

“You kidding? No one escapes a greeting hug!” Tracer responded, getting on her tip toes to wrap her arms tight about the cyborg happily, “It has been too long!”

Genji patted her on the back, ignoring the looks they were getting from passing curiosity to a few of sheer disgust. All things he was use to after his near death. Things he had learned to push aside to focus on those who were more important for his attention, “Far too long. It is good to have your help,”

“I got the call from Winston and couldn't turn it down,” Tracer turned back to the baggage claim, stepping closer as a small bright orange suitcase made a pass, “Sounded urgent,”

“More than I would like,” Genji moved to help her with picking up the bag, “Would prefer it if we had more time to properly catch up rather than running to the next battle,”

“Afterwards love,” Tracer gave a warm smile, hooking her arm around Genji's own, “We can talk about it after a successful mission, just like old times!”

“I would like that. I'm feeling all too nostalgic of late,” he hefted the suitcase easily with one hand, feeling no strain at all as they walked, arm and arm like old friends. Honestly it was rather common for friends to walk as such in his own culture although some Westerners seemed to always think it a romantic gesture. 

All too soon though Genji could feel eyes boring into them as they walked and could feel Tracer tensing some, glancing around. Genji gave a slight bump, wishing he had taken his mask off to be able to offer a reassuring smile to Tracer as well, “Ignore it. They are staring at me, not you,”

“They act like a bloody unicorn is parading around,” Tracer murmured. 

“In most parts of the world that is exactly what I am seen as,” Genji responded, keeping his tone amused, “That I'm some sort of exotic service bot. I've gotten some strange offers for things to do behind closed doors or asking where my model was produced,”

Tracer grimaced, “That sounds awful but knowing you, you probably have something to say to put them back on their heels,”

Genji gave a quiet laugh, “To be honest? I tend to just ignore it and keep walking and play it off like I can't hear it. You acknowledge it, they just get more pushy,”

The young woman just shook her head, puffing her cheeks out some in a mix between a pout and a frown, hunching her shoulders, “Not fair to you. Sometimes I wish people would just...get along with each other. It can get pretty bad in places. A least no one has thrown anything at you?”

“Thank goodness for small miracles,” Genji responded, shaking his head with a small laugh, “But enough about the staring, general derogatory terms, and all that. We got a job to do. So far we have a rather strange team,”

“Winston mentioned your brother is helping us?” Tracer cautiously looked up at Genji, “Are you good with that? I know you and him, well,”

“All in the past and I've since forgiven him,” Genji responded with a shrug, “We have had our confrontation and now it is more the period of getting use to each other and trying to see if we really can still be as brothers but he is a professional, as am I. If it doesn't work out, we can get the job done regardless of personal feelings,” 

“Oh, if you say so Genji,” Tracer murmured, glancing away to focus on her feet more as they walked, “As long as you are okay,”

Genji gave another slight nudge to Tracer, patting her arm lightly with his free hand, “I'm fine. I'm more worried about you to be honest. The other member of the team, sort of member is well, Reaper,”

Tracer nearly stumbled to a halt if Genji hadn't continued to pull her gently along, “Reaper? The one killing Overwatch agents? The one that-”

“That Reaper yes,” Genji interrupted, “He saved my life most likely from the grip of Talon and although his motives remain unclear, so far he hasn't been nearly as aggressive. More passive aggressive and watching,”

“That is not comforting Genji. Maybe he didn't kill you because he is using to lure more of us into his grasp?” Tracer asked nervously.

Genji tilted his head, “I honestly think there is more going on. I mean, maybe I'm crazy, that is a possibility with the shock therapy I went through earlier this week but I think he's got new motives. Slightly less homicidal ones,”

Tracer gave Genji an incredulous stare, “Slightly less homicidal ones?” 

“He isn't killing us outright, is the one providing the ride, and the one who pretty much has given us our information,” Genji explained, “And he doesn't really seem the type to try and lie. Far too blunt. Besides, my brother is here. It is a three on one battle and even Reaper isn't a fool to try and take us all on,”

“If you say so but just don't leave me alone with him?” Tracer requested, tightening her grip on Genji's arm some, “I really don't want to die,”

“You won't. Trust your big brother Genji, little sister. I'll protect you,” Genji gave her arm a reassuring squeeze as they approached the car, giving a jerk of his head towards the trunk. Without a sound, the trunk opened allowing Genji to drop in Tracer's luggage before moving to get the door for her, “Your comm still works yes?”

Tracer nodded as she slid into the car, sharing an awkward smile with Hanzo who gave a nod of greeting and a slight look of apprehension to Reaper who didn't even turn to acknowledge her although he was clearly watching her some in the rear view mirror by how he shifted his postured some, “Yeah. Should I open the channel?”

“Please. Need to know more about this vigilante and perhaps a map of the facility. My brother brought up a good point about the layout,” Genji slammed the door, sitting up to give a slight touch to Reaper's shoulder, “No killing,”

“I know,” Reaper growled, his tone indicating he was probably using a greet deal of self control to not just turn around and pull out a shot gun on Tracer. He instead slammed the car into drive rather forcefully, picking up speed quickly.

Genji sighed, sitting back, “Well, everyone, this is Tracer. Tracer,that is Hanzo, my elder brother, and our angry chauffeur specter there is Reaper,”

“Yeah, we've met. Reaper I mean,” Tracer murmured before turning her gaze back to Hanzo, giving a small way, “ 'Allo,”

“Well met, Tracer,” Hano responded solemnly, giving a bow of his head. Genji just slouched back some, shaking his head. Hanzo was still as formal as ever. 

“So, where we off to?” Genji asked, turning to Tracer. 

The young woman touched her com unit, dialing in, “Give me a tic, have to get Winston on the line,”

“Plug the communicator into the outlet,” Reaper said, speaking up for the first time in a long while, “Then he's on speaker and everyone can hear,”

Tracer hesitated, looking unsure about following Reaper's suggestion, looking to Genji who gave a slight nod and an encouraging nudge, “Makes sense. Hanzo and I won't be able to hear so you would just be repeating what he said,”

She gave a small, hesitant nod before moving to take the comm chip and press it into the slot. The screen at the front of the car on the dashboard winked on, showing a call had been picked up, “Tracer? Did you arrive safely?”

“She's safe with us,” Genji spoke up, “On our way to find that vigilante if you got the information,”

Tracer gave a chuckle, “And I can confirm Genji is not dead but I think he might be a tick out of his mind,”

“So perfectly normal Genji,” Winston replied, giving a small chuckle, “But the vigilante yes. Goes by the moniker Soldier 76. He's near to your location, according to the last reports. Just a drive to the South River area of the city,”

Reaper didn't say a word as he started up the car, starting to head in the indicated direction, one hand moving to the screen to switch to the GPS as Winston continued to talk, “Last address was 1909 Walbre Street if that helps any,”

“It does,” Tracer smiled some, “Driver is already putting it into the GPS now,”

“Would be helpful if we knew what this vigilante looked like,” Hanzo suggested, “Would make it easier to pick this individual out in a crowd or at the very least, be able to ask if anyone has seen them,”

“Good idea. Sending a picture now. Not the best as photos of this Solider 76 are not easy to come by, but should give you a rough idea,” Winston replied. 

The comm unit gave a small beep and Tracer reached down, to transfer the data to the screen. The picture appeared, pushing the map guidance off to the side. Genji tilted his head some, raising a hand to rub his chin. The picture was of an older man, clearly graying either from age or from some sort of shock to the system. Well built though indicating extensive military training. There was something almost familiar about the person, a memory tickling at the back of Genji's mind. A glance to Tracer showed she was having the same sort of feeling at least, her face more confused as she scratched her head, “Familiar looking yes?”

“You too?” Tracer gave a shake of her head, “What are your thoughts Winston? Maybe an Overwatch agent?”

“Perhaps. I'll also admit there is a strange familiarity about them,” Winston murmured. 

Genji shifted his gaze to Reaper now, just a glance at first that turned into a more attentive observation. Reaper was sitting ramrod straight as if someone had dared to threaten him, hands clenched on the steering will and the car was picking up speed, moving well beyond the normal speed limit as he tore along the guided route. The set of his shoulders was hunched, like a predator that had caught the scent of some prey it had been hunting or a shark that had tasted a drop of blood in the water.

Everything about Reaper looked a lot more aggressive and Genji wasn't so blind as not to put two and two together. Reaper knew who was in that picture without a doubt and clearly this person, most likely an Overwatch agent, was high on the long list of people Reaper would love to see dead. 

“Well, now that we know who we need to find, shouldn't be to hard right?” Tracer ventured looking between Genji and Hanzo, “I mean, can't be too hard to get the attention of a vigilante?”

“Depends on the vigilante in question. They all have their own motives,” Hanzo murmured, his gaze sliding towards Reaper and the slight changes in the silent mercenary's behavior, “Is there any other information on this individual?”

Everyone jolted as Reaper served sharply into an exit, cutting off a few drivers who responded with loud blares of their car horns in agitated response but Reaper seemed to either not care or be completely consumed with getting to the location indicated. It just made Genji more and more concerned about what was going on, paying only half an ear to what Winston was telling Tracer and Hanzo.

“Not much but seems to have the local street gangs and the international ones on the ropes,” Winston murmured, “Maybe look for his presence in the territory of the gangs in that region?”

“To be quiet frank,” Genji quietly put in, “I don't think we are going to have any trouble finding them,”

Things seemed to be moving too fast now, the almost friendly atmosphere replaced. It was not just the car which was going well over the speed limit as if Reaper was trying to street race everyone out of principle, but the situation had an electricity of battle that was putting every instinct on edge. Tracer looked nervously at Genji as Winston's voice came over the call, “Genji? What do you mean? What is going on?”

No response could be given as Reaper reached over to end the call, swerving into a turn with one hand that had Genji clutching onto the door to not fall over. Hanzo put his hands on the dash, grimacing as the car was forced to a screeching halt and without a word, Reaper was already leaving the car without even bothering to put the car into park.

Hasitly Hanzo reached to press the stick into park as Genji moved to open his own door, “Reaper! What are you-”

The mercenary seemed lost in his own world, scarily detached as he was pulling out both guns. A sudden scream rose up from one of the civilians, pointing at the visibly armed gunman just before Reaper more or less opened fire on the area. Genji felt his entire being grow cold, a shock going through him. Having been so passive more or less, it was honestly just as scary how quickly Genji had practically forgotten the fact Reaper could be very dangerous when he wanted something. That he was more than willing to put lives at danger to achieve his goals. 

Civilians were ducking down but no one seemed to have been hurt but the scare was just as bad. Genji moved quickly to where Reaper was, grabbing onto one of his arms after his last volley, trying to get his attention, “What are you doing? What are you even thinking?” The anger was leaking into Genji's voice, “You are going to get someone killed!”

There was no response from Reaper, only a small tilt of his head towards Genji as if barely realizing he was there and a low growl of irritation. Genji didn't let go, tightening his grip and staring Reaper in the face posture tense, “Tell me why you are losing your mind all of a sudden?”

For a moment it looked like Reaper might speak. He lowered his guns some turning to stare at Genji more fully before he roughly shoved both of them out of the way as a gun shot hit where they had been standing. The mercenary turned around quickly letting out an almost animistic snarl as he trained guns on the figure perched on a low wall just a few steps from where they were, “You,”

Genji had let go of Reaper in the shove in order to keep his footing, whirling around to see the vigilante, looking as if he has stepped right off the photo with his gun trained on Reaper. There was no response from the newcomer, the soldier just keeping his gun trained on Reaper as the two stared each other down for a brief moment before with another growl Reaper opened fire, already moving to his wraith form to close the distance between them. 

Without missing a beat, the vigilante moved to engaged, opening fire on the mercenary when he reformed. Genji stood dumbstruck for a second before moving to look around, glad to see at least the civilians had cleared out but no doubt law enforcement would be soon to arrive. At the car, Tracer stood, wide-eyed but moving as if to jump into the fray, only for Hanzo to put a hand on her shoulder, gently but firmly holding her back, “There is a clear score to settle between both of them. I would not get involved,”

Genji didn't miss the pointed look given his way as his brother spoke. The cyborg stood, hands clenched, feeling helpless as the two combatants came at each other with a level of violence that could only be born of a personal vendetta. Reaper was absolutely bloodthirsty, tossing another empty gun aside to continue firing at the vigilante, who despite his age, was managing to keep out of harms way and send his own hail of shots back at the dark mercenary. In a strange way, it almost seemed like they knew each others movements, their style, weaving it into a dangerous, yet familiar dance. Still one fact was very obvious in this dance.

One of them was going to die. One would be too hurt to really help. Hundreds of lives were at stake and the situation was so much larger than this pointless fight. Before Genji he saw two combatants, two brothers in battle. Filled with rage and hatred, unable to stop, too blind to see until there would be tragedy. 

Until one was left for dead.

 

Genji raised a hand to his sword and moved forward. He was not going to be a spectator when he knew someone had to stop them even if he had to beat both of them into the ground. That anger fueled with a clarity of purpose pushed the cyborg into the fray, a quick flash of green energy suddenly between the two. For a moment both hesitated, their dance interrupted by a third body. Genji did not.

Pivoting on one foot, Genji brought an elbow up, knocking the vigilante's gun up some before coming in close to Reaper. The mercenary seemed a bit taken aback, taking a half step back before Genji was in his personal space, reaching up with both hands to grab him by the mask, puling him down slightly to make eye contact, “Stop this, Reaper,”

The battle was at a pause, the soldier standing aback, weapon trained on them, but not firing as Genji kept his grip firm on the mercenary's mask, ignoring the rather aggressive growl of irritation. He didn't wait for a response, only tightened his grip, “We don't have time for whatever this is. I have no idea why you want to kill whoever this is, I'm sure you have your reasons but this, now,” Genji lowered his own head some, “This isn't the time nor place,”

“Let me go,” Reaper snarled, “Or I'll kill you,”

Genji didn't look away, for all his joking and easy-going attitude at times, his resolve stood firm, even in the face of death's avatar himself, “You won't. You can, but you won't,”

Reaper brought a gun up, pressing it up under Genji's chin, the cyborg not even flinching as they stared each other down. A few tense seconds passed by, neither saying a word, nor moving a muscle. The only movements were those around them of the vigilante lowering his gun, allowing the used ammo shells to dispels, of Tracer raising a hand to cover her mouth with worry but one hand resting on one of her own guns, ready to jump in, and Hanzo, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, his expression unreadable. 

A snarl escaped Reaper before he dropped the gun, shoulders hunching, “I hate you,”

“I don't hate you,” Genji responded, keeping his voice calm, yet with the barest hint of a temper brewing below, “I am at a loss of why you seemed to have lost your head for some bloodlust over trying to kill someone, putting innocent lives at risk, and reminding me just how dangerous you can be, but I don't hate you. Maybe I should,” 

Slowly Genji lowered his hands as Reaper growled, looking up, “I can't let him live,”

“Why? Why not a few more hours? Who is so important you have to drop everything to try to kill?” Genji snapped. 

Reaper let out a hiss, looking at the soldier who raised his gun some, “Morrison,” he spat out, his tone dripping with contempt. 

That took Genji aback some, turning to regard the vigilante who had visibly stiffened at the mention of the name of their lost commander, “Morrison...? Is it...,” Genji shook his head, turning back to focus on Reaper, “It doesn't matter. Reaper. I know you. You wouldn't kill me because it wasn't on your own grounds, your own terms, your own picture perfect murder,”

That earned a silent stare from Reaper as the cyborg moved to forcefully push Reaper's hands to his holsters to try and indicate to Reaper to put his guns away, “Is this how you want to kill him? This situation? If you are going to murder someone, at least have some proper motivation, some reason. Seems to me, you just know who you are after, and nothing else,” Reaper visibly tensed almost as if slapped, staring at Genji silently.

He was hesitating again. Genji gave a squeeze of the hands, “I won't get in your way next time, if you finally decide when, for now though, stand down,” he murmured quietly, “Let's handle one crisis at a time,”

With a final hiss, Reaper slipped the guns into his holster, turning his back to the cyborg, crossing his arms. If the situation wasn't a bloodbath that nearly happened, Genji might have laughed at how Reaper seemed to be throwing a tantrum of sorts. Instead, he tiredly turned the vigilante, “So, what should I call you? Commander Morrison?” he asked, the sarcasm in his voice sounding more tired than as playful as he intended. 

“That name is long dead, as is that title,” the vigilante murmured, “I'm Solider 76, and that's all that needs to be said,”

“No, I think there is a lot more to say. When we have the time,” he turned to look as Tracer approached, “Despite the rude introductions, fact is, we need your help,”

Tracer reached to touch Genji's arm slightly, offering a smile, a silent praise in her eyes for what he had done that he returned with a nod before she turned to Solider 76, smiling wider, “Morrison? Is it really you? I mean, if you are, you are really a sight for sore eyes! We thought you were dead!”

Soldier 76 paused, as if considering her words before giving a slight, reluctant nod, “That is... was my name but would prefer to be called Solider 76 kid. I'm not going back to the glory days here,” he responded, his tone a bit tired, more gruff, but still that stern familiarity that had always been a comfort, “And seems today is the day for the dead to come back from the graves, isn't that right, Reyes?”

Reaper tiled his head some, looking over his shoulder, his posture tensing but otherwise did not respond. Genji looked over to the mercenary. More questions just seemed to come as that threw only more mystery on everything Reaper was. Genji hat met Gabriel Reyes, the leader of Blackwatch, a few times, but those encounters had been rather brief and from memory, far more social. 

Reyes had been the sort of big brother figure that would not hesitate to kick someone's teeth in for insulting any of them, a bit distant at times and may not have spoken much, but the demeanor of Reaper... it seemed to be almost another personality entirely from what little Genji remembered of Reyes. 

Tracer looked more shocked, looking at Reaper with conflicting emotions, although confusion was the most prominent one. A look of betrayal even, for if it was Reyes, it meant one of their own had been hunting them all this time.

There was far too many question to be had and not the time to answer it all. The sirens of law enforcement were already growing louder. 

“Listen, Solider 76. I'll make this brief. Talon is going to test a new device that may cause unprecedented amount of damage and casualties to the people of Verdant Hills. We need your help. Only myself, Tracer, and my brother Hanzo are part of this. Reaper is only acting as a guide,” Genji quickly said, “If you really are Morrison, even if in a little bit of spirit, I shouldn't doubt for a moment what answer you'll give,”

Soldier 76 looked between the two, over to the car and then let his gaze linger on Reaper before heaving a sigh, “Some things never change. Let's go kid,”

Genji heaved a sigh at the small bit of good news, stepping aside as Morrison, now Solider 76 moved quickly to the car, Tracer on his heels. Hanzo had a faint smile on his face as Genji approached, giving a nod to his brother, “You really have changed,”

“Yes, the level of foolishness I exude and how much of a bleeding heart for loss causes I've become,” Genji murmured. 

He looked back to where Reaper stood, holding out a hand to him, “You coming or is this as far as you'll go?”

Reaper silently watched him before moving to the car, slipping back into the driver's seat once more, looking over his shoulder as Genji pushed into the crowded backseat, “I'm going to kill you all,” He growled out, moving to put the car in drive, “When this is all over,”

Tracer looked a bit nervous at his words while Soldier 76 gave a dismissive grunt. Genji just gave a small nod, his posture relaxing, “As to be expected. Regardless of you helping or not in the battle to come, your help is still appreciated, even if your methods are not very morally sound,”

“Still seems he can't get behind any cause he starts,” Soldier 76 commented idly, shifting to sit up some, “So what details do we have on the situation?”

“Well, not much,” Tracer murmured, reaching to the comm device which was blinking furiously indicating many missed calls probably from a frantic Winston, “We know where and we know the device can knock out omnics and other electrical based beings,”

“Most likely modified to knock out any electrical signal,” Genji added, “And we got a map of the building, hopefully. We haven't checked in with Winston on how that is going,”

Just as he spoke the name of the primate scientist, Winston's voice came in as the call came back, “Tracer? Genji? What is going on? You just shut off the-”

“Had to handle a situation rather quickly but we got the vigilante. Turns out another familiar face of our family,” Genji looked over to Soldier 76, “ Turns out Morrison is not as dead as we thought,”

 

“Morrison?” Winston's voice had grown small, surprise clear in the tone, “Is it really...?”

“Hello Winston,” Soldier 76 murmured, “Guess cats out of the bag on this one but don't start calling me commander. Right now we need details on the situation,”

“Ah, right. I have a map of the facility. Sending it now,” The on board computer chimed, showing a picture of the facility, highlighting routes within, “If Talon gets in, these are the routes they might take,”

“If they aren't in already,” Hanzo put in.

“No news on any sort of infiltration. No doubt there would be a report if Talon made an attack,” Winston responded, “Nothing unusual has been reported,”

Reaper gave a glance towards mirror, his posture tensing just a bit, a small movement that did not go unnoticed by Genji, nor unnoticed by Hanzo as the archer glanced over his shoulder to address the three in the back, “If they are in or not, regardless, might I suggest still having an evacuation order for the area?”

Soldier 76 gave a nod, “Would be wise. Can we afford to split the team? Someone to give warning to the local political office and rest to track Talon?”

“You should send two to the office,” Reaper put in, eyes still ahead on the road. 

The answer was brief, but the implication was clear. Something about this whole situation was not quiet right and Reaper knew more than what he was saying. Genji leaned forward some, glancing to the mercenary, “Why would you say that?”

Reaper glanced askance to Genji, not speaking up as Winston's voice came back over the phone, “Who is that? Someone else with you?”

“The driver,” Hanzo put in, “Our informant on Talon,”

Soldier 76 crossed his arms as Tracer shifted some, also looking at Reaper, “Um,” she began, raising a hand slightly, “so...I take it this won't be easy?”

“The mayor of Verdant Hills is an anti-omnic,” Reaper finally said, shifting the car into the exit lane to change onto another roadway, heading towards Verdant Hills, “Do I have to explain what Talon probably promised?”

“Remove the omnics from his perfect little city without having to take responsibility for their sudden removal. Blame it on someone else,” Soldier 76 murmured, “Ate it up without realizing Talon has something more planned,”

Genji let out a small growl, not unlike that Reaper would make when irritated, hands clenching into fists some, “Given that mindset, I am opting out of paying the mayor a polite visit. I'm better suited for the strike team then,”

“If this is true, then Talon could be set up inside though and have guards at the estate. If no evacuation is called, this could be a real disaster on our hands,” Winston spoke up. The gorilla let out a sigh, “I wish I could be there to help,”

“Ah, big guy, don't beat yourself up! We'll give them a few licks from you,” Tracer responded, giving a small smile, “I can go pay the mayor a visit then,”

“I'm with Genji,” Reaper put in, looking over his shoulder briefly as if daring anyone to ask why his change of heart or why he was even declaring he was going.

“Where he goes, I go. I'm not letting him out of my sight given his warm reception and taste for back stabs,” Soldier 76 crossed his arms, matching the stare Reaper shot his way with one blank, yet heated one of his own, “I don't know what game he's playing, but a Blackwatch agent always has some other angle they are working and I intend to find out,” 

Hanzo gave a faint chuckle, “Which puts me with Tracer then. Fitting though. Dealing with corrupt politicians once more. It reminds me of the past,”

“Honestly? You have a real talent, if I recall, for shaking down political figures and putting the fear of the Shimada clan in them,” Genji gave a faint chuckle, trying to keep some humor about him even as the situation seemed to grow more tense, everything standing on the edge of a knife, “We have a plan then. Tracer and Hanzo get the evacuation going. Soldier 76, Reaper, and I get into the facility and try to get the device or destroy it completely,”

“Wait....Reaper? Blackwatch?” Winston asked, his voice growing more concerned, “What is-”

“Call you back after the mission! Got to do a lot of planning and no time for explanations. Promise later I'll fill you in on the details!” Genji quickly said, turning off the communication. 

The car was silent then. Genji glanced around, noticing everyone was staring at him before giving a shrug, “What? Reaper tried to kill Winston twice. I don't need another lecture on why I should not be trusting Reaper. I'm sure you have one you are just dying to give Soldier,”

The older man gave a snort, leaning back in his seat, “I don't need to give that lecture. You know the truth,”

“I don't half of it,” Genji sighed, crossing his arms, “So what's our point of entry and perhaps we can figure it out without arguing over who has the better idea?”

Hanzo moved to press the map, enlarging it some, “I suppose it depends on where they are most likely to keep the device. You want to take the path that is the quickest route in with as few detour as possible. Also appears to be more than a few security points that you need to get pass,”

Soldier 76 leaned forward, eyeing the schematics set before them, “The R-58 secura grid. Once the alarm is hit, whole sectors could be in lock down,”

“But only by sectors,” Hanzo pointed out, “If you keep ahead of the alarm and don't let anyone radio for help ahead, you should have no issue,”

“You are going to need a communication scramble,” Reaper glanced up to the mirror to look at the back seat.

“We are just going to have make due without one and just move fast,” Soldier 76 glanced up, “If you can keep up,”

Reaper just gave a growl, looking like he might just pull the car over to pull out both guns again. Genji reached over to put a hand on his shoulder, “Save it for the fire fight,” He murmured.

Tracer gave a nod, “Well it looks like you three have a plan, what about Hanzo and I?”

“We don't use the front door and come around the back and sneak in. Best to make this an informal meeting and have a talk with the mayor about a need to evacuate. If he does not agree, we will trigger it ourselves. Keep Winston on standby call as from his vantage point, he could perhaps help if we have a computer system to override,” Hanzo crossed his arms, “Either way, I'm sure this will not be as easy a task it would seem,”

Genji gave a small chuckle, “Probably not, but at least we have a plan and a team,”

The cyborg glanced out the window, watching as the mile markers flew past as the city was put further behind and the signs indicating how far Verdant Hills was ticked down. Reaper was going at a rather fast pace and it was an honest to goodness miracle there wasn't a whole swat team after them after the stunt in the city coupled with how much he was speeding. Honestly Genji was thankful for that small miracle. Still, the car was too quiet, everyone tense and in their own worlds. Even Tracer seemed quiet, perhaps a bit reserved about speaking up any with the three men in the car that seemed dead set on being completely stoic.

Soon though, they were slowing down, the welcome sign to the valley passing by. Tracer shifted some, looking over to Genji, “You going to be okay love?”

“Me? I'll be fine. Just going to be throwing myself in between two individuals who want to murder each other while saving the world, but eh, I've had worse obstacles,” Genji answered, leaning over to give a shoulder nudge, “Just make sure you don't listen to anything my brother tells you or fall for the Shimada charm,”

Hanzo gave a snort while Tracer laughed some, nudging Genji back, “I haven't fallen for you, have I? I'm sure I'm safe from your family's wiles,” 

The car slowed to a halt on a corner and Reaper glanced over his shoulder, “Town center is to the left,”

The elder Shimada gave a nod, shouldering his bow more securely as he stepped out of the car. Genji moved to get out to allow Tracer out, giving her a comforting squeeze to the shoulder, “In all honestly though, good luck and make sure my brother doesn't get hurt. He's got a hankering for being a bit too noble sometimes with those he feels are younger and need his protection. Trust me. Show him you can handle yourself just fine in a fight,” 

Tracer gave a chuckle and a nod, “I'll show what an Overwatch agent can really do. Good luck yourself. I think you'll need it more than me,” She moved to the back of the car, popping the trunk to quickly grab her luggage, giving a wink before moving over to where Hanzo was. 

The archer quirked an eyebrow at the young woman to which Tracer just gave a smile, patting it, “Don't want to lose all my belongings and I don't trust Genji to keep an eye on it,”

“I'll have enough to keep an eye on with these two,” Genji responded, moving to slip into the passenger seat up front, closing the door. 

Hanzo gave a final nod before turning, gesturing for Tracer to follow him as the two took of into the night. Genji sighed as Reaper put the car back into drive, “Phase one is underway. Now it is time for us to make our entrance,”

“Western side of the complex has more distance to cover, but will be an easier point of entry,” Soldier 76 traced a finger over the screen, “Then we can take a ventilation shaft to the security room and see if we can get a visual on how many troops may be stationed inside, if they are inside, as well as where they may be setting up the device,”

“Sure the distance isn't too much for you, relic?” Reaper asked, his tone a contemptuous sneer. 

Genji reached over to give a small tap to Reaper's arm, “Look, I'm sure you two would love nothing more than to jump out of this car and have a duel in the middle of the street, but for now, let's save it for afterwards? Keep the goading to a minimal?”

Soldier 76 gave a snort, “I'm more than happy to take out my frustration on a couple of Talon agent. Once we got a lay of the place, we can modify our strategy,”

The cyborg nodded, glancing to Reaper, “Anything else we should know?'

“Be prepared for special agents. I didn't take the job but someone probably did,” Reaper responded.

“Widowmaker? I know you two-” Genji began only to be interrupted by a shake of Reaper's head.

“She is a hunter, not a guard dog. This is far below her standards of work,” Reaper responded, flicking the screen out wider to look at the roads around the plant, looking up at the road to better navigate towards their destination. 

Genji nodded, sitting back in his seat, feeling that familiar pins and needle feeling in his muscles that came before an encounter of any type. There was always that rush of adrenaline before a mission, preparing the body for flight or fight. The cyborg took a deep breath, holding it before letting it out slowly, working to keep himself calm. Adrenaline was good and all, but its energy was a quick burst and for a long mission, it was best to try and keep that giddy feeling to a minimum. 

When the car finally came to a stop, the engine coming to a stop, Genji felt more than thankful to move again. In the fading twilight, the silhouette of a a building stood on the horizon, the perimeter surrounded by a fence topped with barbed wire. For a moment they all sat in silence before Soldier 76 hefted his gun to his shoulder, exiting the car, “Let's get moving then,”

“If you can keep up, relic,” Reaper responded, cracking his neck some as he looked across the field to the fence.

“You can tell that to me when I'm riding your ass to get you to move faster,” Soldier 76 retorted. 

Genji sighed, letting out one last hiss of steam from his shoulders before locking and getting ready to move, “How about we save the cock fight for later,”

The cyborg shifted his weight and took off forward, easily out pacing them as he approached the fence. It was honestly too easy to clear the entire fence with a single jump, landing on the other side soundlessly. He kept on his guard, half crouched with one hand on his sword as his comrades arrived. Reaper didn't bother to slow his momentum, simply phasing into a swirl of shadows and reforming on the other side. Soldier 76 had only a small bit of difficulty, tapping a command to his visor to activate a special feature in his armor before gripping onto the electric fence. Whatever redirection device in the gloves did its job, allowing him to scale the fence and leap over barbed wire at the top. He landed heavily, looking to the other two wordlessly before making a signal to keep up the advanced. 

The security wasn't easy to navigate, but neither was it the hardest place Genji had broken into. One thing though was clear from the few guard patrols they skirted, Talon was occupying the facility unless the guard uniform had changed to being head to toe black armor with military grade weaponry. It was an important building and all, but military uniforms of the country would at least make more sense. The vent was easy to find and it only took a few silent slashes of his sword to remove the cover. Genjis stepped aside to set it down carefully as not to make a noise as Soldier 76 pulled himself into the vent in a tight army crawl. Genji followed after him to keep between the vigilante and Reaper, who entered last, picking up the rear. A bit cramped but at least for his age, Solider 76 was able to really move along. 

“How far until the security station?” Genji murmured, “Or are we lost?”

“A few more passes. Two more rooms,” Was the hushed reply from Solider 76, “Reyes still in the rear?”

“Of course. Who wouldn't want the view of my-” Genji began only to bite back a yelp, tensing up as he felt Reaper all but smack him in the rear as if daring him to continue that thought. 

The cyborg turned his head to send an unseen, withering glare at Reaper who just stared back blankly arms crossed under his chest as he waited for them to get moving again. Soldier 76 only gave a snort, shaking his head and Genji thought he heard the veteran murmur under his breath, “this day...,”

Taking the security office was easy enough to handle, or at least, easy enough for Reaper to handle, appearing out of a mist of shadow to slam the heads of the two guards at the console together, dropping them before they could blink and moving to cover the door. 

“So far so good?” Genji asked, dropping down into the room after Soldier 76, the later moving to a console to start getting a read on all agents present, “Not too much resistance,”

“A pity,” Was Reaper's response, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door.

“Heavy security near one of the warehouses, but I think it is an obvious feint. Too obvious a place to go for anyone looking for where a device was,” He slid a finger over the screen, focusing it more towards the reactor control room where two people were stationed with only a single guard along the hallway, “Reyes, what sort of mercenary do you think they picked up,”

“A good one,” Reaper answered bluntly, the sarcasm dripping with a sense of loathing that made it clear he wasn't about to answer any questions in a helpful way. Genji just let out a sigh, moving up beside the ex-overwatch agent.

“I agree with you about the feint. The device doesn't need a lot of people to activate it and upload the code into the reactor or whatever they are going to do. More sense to have less people. Also notice how the guards could get their quickly though if there was trouble,” Genji pointed to a room before the hallway with the lone guard, “We secure this room, we are blocked in. The security point to close that door is in the control room and the noise is going to set up some alarms,”

Soldier 76 rubbed his chin some, “Someone needs to get in, handle the situation and undo the locks. They are going to see us coming,” He looked to Genji, “You can outpace us both. Once we are in the room, get through the door and take care of the guard,”He put a hand on Genji's shoulder, “Get the door open so we can back you up as soon as possible in dismantling the device or putting a stop to whatever pirate code they use the device to upload,” 

Genji gave a nod, as Reaper just snorted, “Typical,”

“I don't hear you offering any suggestions, Reyes,” Soldier 76 retorted, drawin his gun and clicking of the safety.

“Because I look forward to watching you die playing hero, Morrison,” The sneer was so cold, Genji wondered what had happened really between them. It seemed so much more than just a difference of opinion over leadership. There were more raw wounds that went far deeper between them.

“If anyone is playing hero, that seems to be me, the one running through the door to have a duel, one on one with whatever mercenary nut they have,” Genji murmured, moving to the door, “You two seem to have the easy job of sitting behind cover and shooting Talon agents like fish in a barrel,”

Reaper just silently stared at Genji as he did often even as he reached to open the door. He paused before opening it, staring hard at the metal of the door, his shoulders hunched a bit, “If you don't get that door open in ten minutes, I'm coming in through the vent after you,”he growled out. With those final words, Reaper wrenched open the door and stepped into the hallway, both guns pulled out of their holsters. 

Genji felt a strange mix of emotion at the words. Confusion, as always but something else. Something that was far more unfamiliar and hard to place completely. There was honest concern there from Reaper. He was more than willing to kill absolutely everyone else, but lord forbid if Genji was late ten minutes..... the cyborg felt a smile touch his lips and a new energy seem to tingle through every nerve at once, “Ten minute? I'll be done in five,”

Perhaps he was being a bit cocky, but still, it was hard to keep that strange feeling bottled up without trying to respond with a comment to acknowledge that show of concern. Soldier 76 moved up beside Genji, tilting his head and his brow furrowed. Genji just chuckled, “Welcome to the club to people confused about Reaper,” Genji said, patting the old soldier's shoulder before following after Reaper. 

Soldier 76 shook his head, “This world is getting too strange for this old man,” he grumbled. 

The sprint to the room was quick, too quick really. Time seemed to be speeding up and slowing down all at once as they burst into the room, guns blazing. Genji though wasn't pausing to remove targets. Nimbly he vaulted confused Talon troops, a blur of green making a beeline for the door. Already some agents were going for their communication units and alarms were starting to blare even as they were fell down before Genji under the unrelenting fire of the two men at his back. For all their hatred, together, Reaper and Soldier 76 were a dangerous duo. They knew each others style, meshing their movements together without thought it seemed. Where one was blind, the other covered them. When one ducked down, the other was shooting over them It seemed almost instinct at time to know where to be, two soldiers that had been at each others side in too many conflicts to count and completely ingrained in the others flow of energy.

For now, they were reluctant comrades, concentrating on the battle at hand, but the hatred between them was not to be settled in a single moment of unity. 

The door had begun to come down, the alarms blaring louder as the troops tried to group around the door, only for a hail of bullets to tear through them. Genji lowered his head, pushing his body to the limit. 

To him, the door seemed to be moving in slow motion but still, it was going to be a close call. Genji dropped down, sparks flying as he slide under the gap. Quickly, Genji got to one knee on the other side, sword drawn and his visor glowing in the low light of the passage. No movement so far, but that could change at any moment. Slowly he got to his feet, keeping his weapon ready.

His steps didn't make a sound as he darted down the hallway, soon coming out at the top of a staircase leading down into the wide open room that housed the reactor at the center, encased in thick metal and humming with energy being sent through a dizzying array of pipes. To the far right of the tiered he was on was a staircase ascending upwards to the glowing windows of the control booth and the siloutte o two figures could be seen clearly. Genji gave another look around with a sigh, getting ready to get moving again now that he had his target locked, “Winston would have a field day with all the science inhere,”Genji murmured.

“Too bad you won't live to tell him about it, machine!” Genji lept back as to heavy shell shots hit the spot he was standing on, tearing up the metal floor. Quickly moved to back, as his attacker, the lone mercenary guard, made their presence known. 

The woman rose up before him, boots ablaze with some sort of rocket, wearing a light armor. She wore a mask that gave her the appearance of some sort of bat with the face open to reveal her face. Beautiful, but twisted with a look of pure hatred that was all too familiar to Genji. The face of someone who had a personal vendetta against omnics due to some loss during the war, to some crime that was committed by one omnic that forever poisoned them against the whole race. 

A hatred that was always, eventually, directed towards him. 

“I don't suppose you realize that Talon is going to probably-” Genji began, trying to be a bit diplomatic before going in for the fight only to be cut off by another volley of fire. He kept ahead of it, ducking behind some cover created by the ripped up metal plates of the floor from her first shot.

“I could care less what Talon will do if it means I get to take your wretched kind apart, piece by piece!” she hefted her gun, the device whining as she switched to a launcher, shooting off a few grenades that stuck to the cover. 

Genji was already moving at the pull of the trigger, rolling out from behind it and closing the distance between them, bringing his sword to bear, aiming to neutralize her as quickly as possible. She somersaulted back in midair, boots blazing, getting out of range of his sword as the cyborg balanced on the railing, watching her move, his mind already working out a plan, “I don't know what you mean by 'my kind', but if you have a personal vendetta against the Japanese-”

With a shriek and another shower of bullets she interrupted his retort, sending Genji running the length of the thin railing as if it were nothing, leaping up to climb higher up on the larger nearby pipes of the room, “You know what I mean machine! Don't act like you are capable of any real feeling! Murdering hunks of walking metal! Nothing but scrap!”

“Now see? That really does hurt my feelings!” Genji jumped from his perch as she launched more grenades his way. With a flick of his hand, his shurikens locked and loaded before he sent them flying towards her with deadly accuracy.. She twisted away raising her gun to deflect but Genji hadn't been aiming for a kill blow or her exposed neck or face. 

They hit their intended mark, cutting into her jet boots which sputtered and hissed, sending her crashing to the floor, screeching to a halt at the mouth of the hallway he had come through. He followed after her descent landing soundlessly back on the tier's floor, “I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to stop that device from activating,” He sheathed his sword, his tone growing firm, “I suggest you leave now while you can,”

She growled, hands clenched in fists on the ground, “I'm not letting you stop them. I'm not about to just let you win like that!” a roar ripped free from her throat as she surged to her feet, slamming a hand against a switch on the side of her gun, activating an energized blade , turning the gun into a modified broadsword. 

Genji had his sword back out in one fluid motion, easy countering the hits of the more bulky weapon, weaving and dodging as he waited for an opportunity to attack, “I am not your enemy!”

“All omnics are my enemy!” She declared, hatred blazing in her eyes, gleaming in the white of her bared teeth like a rabid animal out for blood, “If Talon wants to destroy all of you then so be it! I'll make sure they get every opportunity to do so!”

Blow after blow was exchanged and despite her fury, she was keeping up a solid defense in terms of sword play, especially as Genji wasn't aiming to kill, letting opportunities for a decisive blow go by. She was angry, but as his master Zenyatta had often said, people should not have to suffer for their anger born of misguidance. Everyone deserved a chance to change their ways, to see the world anew. If anything, she seemed more than aware he wasn't trying to kill her and that fact alone seemed to infuriate her more.

“Why won't you fight back like you mean it? You think your mercy will change anything?” She snarled.

Genji grunted, jumping back, regaining his footing as he eyed her, “Maybe it won't, but you are not my enemy, you are not the person that needs to be stopped, and although I do not know the reason for your anger and hatred, I do not think that it is all the defines you!”

“What would you know about me!?” She came at him furiously, “What would you know about loss, pain, or anything machine? Don't act like you are capable of real sentiment,” 

“I don't act,” Genji gritted his teeth, squaring his shoulders, “I know who I am and what I'm still capable of feeling,”

She lifted her sword high, intending to bring it down in a powerful down stroke. It was the critical mis-step Genji had been waiting for. With a flash of green Genji surged forward, lowering his shoulder to knock into her, sending her stumbling backwards, losing her footing. The sword's weight threw her off balancing further, the blade falling from her hand as she slammed into the railing, the already weaken metal railing, torn up from the early fire fight, twisting below her momentum and sending her careening over the side with a cry. The cyborg felt his blood run cold, quickly sheathing his weapon and moving to the edge. 

The metal was straining under her weight, the fallen blade having cut through it on the way down and making it unable to hold her weight properly yet she had managed a desperate grab onto this straining lifeline. She dangled, eyes wide, clutching onto that piece of metal, although that wild hatred was still there in her eyes as she looked to Genji as he leaned over the edge.

He didn't think twice, reaching out for her, offering a hand desperate to help, “Here! Take my hand!”

Their eyes met, hatred unable to see the still very human eyes behind the mask, wide and desperate, filled with an overwhelming desire to aid her. The metal groaned, twisting some and about to snap under her weight. A sneer crept across her face as she spat at Genji's offered hand, “Fuck you, machine,” 

She let go and fell to the ground below, those eyes watching him the whole time, blaming him, hating him, and seemed to make the whole world slow down to focus on that look she was giving him just bfore her body hit the ground of the base floor far below. A strange sort of numbness filled Genji as her body hit the ground with a sickening crunch, blood spattering across the floor, the metal crashing down around her. The fallen blade burning into her back filling the air with the smell of charred flesh. He was trembling. If he had had the capacity to still be able to feel sick, bile would have been in his throat. That awful feeling of failure, of someone picking death rather than aid because of him.

Because of what he was. A machine. No better than a....

He stayed their, on his knees, staring down, shell-shocked by the encountered, by this death. The numbness seemed to dull everything. Every thought circled back to the body at the bottom. He might as well killed her. Some voice in his head was screaming at him to get up, to do something. He had a job to do, he was better than this. Years were spent putting these feelings aside and reaffirming that he was not just a machine but was still a-

Nothing but a machine to everyone though, a wicked little voice in his head put in. It was a low, final blow she had struck by choosing death, one more destructive than just a physical blow. 

It was the sudden rough hand on his shoulder, bodily yanking him to his feet that cut through that void, bringing back the present in a roar of noise. Genji tensed, lashing out some, gripping onto the hand as he turned like a spooked animal, coming face to face with Reaper.

“I said ten minutes,” Reaper growled, “Morrison's holding down the fort, not that I care if he dies, but you seem to care,”

 

Morrison. Soldier 76. Reaper. The mission. Those thoughts returned with clarity, cutting through the sudden shock some. Genji gave a slow nod, mutely at Reaper's words, still not letting go of his arm like it was a lifeline. The mercenary, eyed him before moving to wrap an arm about him, practically dragging Genji along to get the cyborg moving, “Come on,”

Every step was guided and it almost seemed like with each step, Genji felt more attached to himself again, to the body he inhabited. He felt grounded, even if it was by someone that just days before had wanted him dead. Someone who had wanted no part in this whole mission and had hated everyone that was part of it, making it clear in no uncertain terms he wanted them all dead.

But he was here. 

The only reason he was there was-

“ arigatou gozaimasu,” Genji finally managed to croak out, starting to grow more confident in his own steps as they raced up the stairs towards the control room.

Reaper simply gave a grunt in response, starting to pull away as Genji regained his senses some, pushing that whole scene aside for now. He had to focus. Just for the rest of this mission. 

The door of the control room gave way easily, empty now as whoever had been in it had fled using the main entryway at the far end of the room. Genji quickly moved to the security grid, slamming the switch to cancel the emergency, opening the door, “Please tell me you didn't shoot him in the leg or something before you left,” Genji managed, his tone far too stressed though to really convey the more sarcastic meaning. 

“I didn't,” Reaper blandly replied, leaning over the console that was flashing red with warnings, “Something else is wrong,”

“What?” Genji turned towards Reaper, who just pointed to the console as the computer pleasant chimmed in news Genji wished wasn't happening, “Detonation of program Harpy in five minutes,”

“Damnit, they already uploaded the codes to this whole place into one big conduit. Can't you shut it down?” Genji felt his tone rise, getting frantic. Down below, Soldier 76 charged into the room, moving across the room and taking the stairs two at a time to reach the upper floors where the battle had raged on early between Genji and the mercenary woman before rushing into the control room, slamming the door behind him. 

He was out of breath and there were small bullet holes torn in his armor, but otherwise, he was no worse for wear, “Give me some good news,”

“Its going off in five minutes,” Reaper drawled, “I don't think this test went as they intended and they abandoned ship and rigged it to explode,”

“And contrary to popular belief, just because I'm a cyborg doesn't mean I am a master computer hacker!” Genji added, moving to the panel, “There doesn't seem to be an override,”

“Then we do this the old fashion way,” the soldier moved across the room, ripping off the paneling to reveal the mess of wires below, crouching down, “Like defusing a bomb,”

“A nuclear one,” Reaper drawled, fingers flying across the board.

Genji let out a frustrated growl, “Nothing is responding. If we could at least get the contaiment shields up-”

“Three minutes until activation,”

Soldier 76 cursed, sparks flying as he worked to get the device deactivated. Below troops were pouring in, firing up at the control booth, glass shattering. Genji ducked down, gritting his teeth. Reaper dropped down as well, glancing towards Genji, “We need to leave,”

“We can't just...if that thing activates,” He protested but even to himself, his words felt hollow, desperate, like a child trying to deny something bad was happening. 

“It already has,” Soldier 76 sat back, shoulders hunched wiping his brow , “most we can do is at least get the containment barriers back up. I managed to get the emergency transport up to teleport the isotopes out to avoid nuclear fall out, but the rest of this place is going to blow regardless. Barrier can buy us time to get clear,”

“But if it knocks out electrical systems, there are still the gas line intakes, it ...it might not be enough to contain the blast at all,” Genji responded faintly, “We just run away, just like that?”

Reaper moved, shifting forward to the door opposite of the one they entered, reaching up to get it open, “They still have the device and will use it again. This is a test run. Just pray your brother and Tracer did their job,” 

Soldier 76 reached over, grabbing Genji firmly by the shoulder, “We need to get moving,”

The cyborg didn't even give a nod, feeling that numbness creep back even as his body moved, following orders with no real thought. All that work, everything that had happened today and they had been too late. It hadn't been enough. 

Again though, a hand fell on his shoulder, Reaper reaching out to grab onto him, as if trying to mentally ground him still, giving a glance but not saying a word. Genji just gave a slight nod, touching it before breaking into a run. Soldier 76 followed in the rear as Talon opened fire behind them, the bullets clinking around them, “Tracer! Come in! Situation is critical and I'm hoping to God you got that evacuation order out!” 

Soldier 76 nodded his head, listening to whatever the woman was reporting before looking over his shoulder at his companions, “Front gate. Tracer and Hanzo will meet us there and then we got to high tale it out,” 

“Two minutes until activation,” the computer chimed again.

Genji looked over his shoulder at the soldier still on their heels, “Don't they know what is going to happen? Why are they still after us?”

“Brainwashing,” Reaper answered turning to fire a few shots back with deadly accuracy, “They obey and that's it,”

“Scumbags,” Soldier 76 growled, sending a few shots back, “Just all the more reason to stop them,”

“One minute until activation,” The voice was so pleasant and out of place with what was going on and seemed almost surreal as the whole structure seemed to groan as systems began to spark, flashes of blue light moving along the wells causing the lights to burst from the surges. The three burst into the lobby, the guards turning weapons raised at the intruders in their midst. Soldier 76 cursed, diving to the right with Reaper as Genji rolled left, leaning up over an overturned lobby couch to fire a few shots, “We don't have time for-”

“Activation imminent,” The computer voice chimed the whole structure shaking before every light and the room went out and powerful pulses of electricity lashed out. Genji felt the prickle of it looking back down the hallway they had come from, enemies pouring in but also the rumble of explosions and lick of flames from overheated systems that had burst, “Energy shields activated and holding at 95%,” the computer com affirmed happily.

“We need to move. Now,” Reaper growled,blasting away the ranks, ducking aside as part of the roof started to drop due to the shaking, “This place is coming down,”

“We make a break for it then,” Soldier 76 hollered.

Genji looked over the barrier, drawing his sword, “I'll clear a path,” even to him, his tone seemed to dull now, dispassionate. A few quick steps brought him to where the lobby guards were, quick swings deflecting shots before he was cutting into their ranks, bringing the troops lows. Reaper followed his path, providing cover fire with Soldier 76 following last, firing back at their pursuers to cover their rear. The entire building gave another powerful shift, enough to cause even Genji to stumble and more of the roof to come crashing in.

In a flash, Reaper shifted into a cloud of smoke, rubble passing harmlessly through his form as he reformed out of harms way, pivoting to look back. Soldier 76, for all his training, was not so lucky. A piece of debry struck him across his exposed temple, the soldier stumbling forward, still trying to move forward even as he lost conscious, blood, a brilliant crimson read, splattering across the floor. Genji Rushedto his side only to be stopped by Reaper grabbing his arm roughly, “Leave him,”

The words were so cold even as the world around them seemed to be caving in, “Are you mad?” Genji exploded, “I failed to stop this disaster. I failed already in trying to save a life, I am not going to leave a comrade when he is injured,”

“He isn't worth the time,” Reaper growled, resentment clear in his voice. 

“everyone is worth the time, especially to you. Is this really how you want him to die? You wouldn't have killed him. Talon would have. If anything, you are about to be robbed,” Genji retorted, pulling his arm free of Reaper's grip.

Reaper tilted his head, hesitating, before looking to where Soldier 76 lay before letting out a frustrated snarl, “I really hate you,” 

“But I don't hate you,” Genji answered as usual, moving to Soldier 76's body, to pull him up on his shoulders, “Let's move. Keep the path clear,”

The only answer was the blaze of gunfire from Reaper as he kept ahead of Genji and his wounded cargo, finally make it out the front door. The floor was starting to sink inwards as the whole ground seemed to heave, the pounding of metal loud as the pistons in the core began to go past regulation speeds, pumping out more energy, the shields straining and starting to buckle. 

Just beyond the check point gate, now empty, a car pulled in, swerving to a stop and Tracer leaned out the window, eyes wide, “Genji!”

“We are all here!” The cyborg responded, as Reaper passed through the low gate, turning to Genji holding out his hands to take Soldier 76 body and help get it over as well. Just from his body posture, Genji could tell this very act was sickening Reaper to his core and he wanted to do nothing but put a bullet in his rival then, yet some sort of pride, some desire to prove himself the better when both on even ground, seemed to stop him. Wanting to kill Overwatch agents or not, it seemed the fight and hunt were just as much a part of the kill as the act itself. 

“What happened to him?” Tracer asked, anxiety clear in her face. 

“Just a head wound,” Genji murmured, loading the soldier into the back, searching his body for any sort of medical kit or the like that could be used, “Just...tell me you were able to get the evacuation order out,”

“Yeah, wasn't easy! Mayor was in real deep with Talon. All but gave them the keys! Got to say though, your brother is really good at getting his way!” She gave a nervous laugh as Hanzo looked was already putting the vehicle into gear as Reaper filled in last, slamming the door behind him.

“I just hope it was soon enough,” Genji's hands were steady as he pulled over the med-kit Soldier 76 had on his person despite the feelings of despair that were threatening to well up combined with feelings of self-loathing that simply wouldn't leave him alone after what had transpired. The medi-gel was applied first, healing up the wound some before Genji wrapped it tight with a bandage, all while Tracer watched anxiously, her gaze lifted, wide-eyed as flames shot up, licking the sky, warning sirens going off, a strange, melancholy drone over the blazing inferno building, catching fire to the surrounding plant-life and starting to spread rapidly. 

 

The ground was shaking and Hanzo hunched over the steering wheel, keeping the car on the road as they careened away from the tragedy in the works. Genji held onto Solider 76 to keep him from hitting his head again off the door or the like, nearly being thrown out of his seat when Hanzo swerved the vehicle into a hard turn to avoid a tree as it crashed over half the roadway.

The horizon went up in flames then as the shields gave way, a cloud of fire rising up high as the plant began to fail further, fires spreading quickly and gathering strength. The car lurched forward as the shockwave ripped through, nearly sending them off the road. Hanzo let out a string of colorful curses in Japanese, keeping the car steady with a few well place swerves. 

Tracer clutched at her seat, eyes wide, “Where did you even learn to drive like this?” She asked, voice trembling. 

“Clearly you've never driven outside the West,” Hanzo murmured, his grip tight on the wheel, “Typical traffic in most roadways in China when I had business there,”

Behind them the inferno was spreading, cracks and booms renting the air as power lines were shorted out, the car buffered by shockwave after shockwave, careening the vehicle left and right. The ground was starting to crack as thundering crashes of explosions echoed in the air as the gas lines began to erupt, bursting up the earth in lines away from the plant, spreading the damage further across the region. 

They were out of the worse it though now, the road heading upwards into the low lying mountains that surrounded the once peaceful county of Verdant Hills, the small town at its center now engulfed in flames, smoke billowing thick and black into the night sky. Hanzo began to slow the car as they finally reached the top, coming to a level spot just above where the disaster was unfolding. 

There was a silence in the vehicle that was as deafening as the echoing explosions that continue to come up and Tracer quietly opened the door, stepping out , her eyes filled with horror. Hanzo sat back in his seat, staring at his hands, only glancing up as Genji moved to get out silently to stand next to Tracer followed by Reaper although the mercenary hung back leaning against the car some. A groan escaped Soldier 76 as he sat up, holding his head, looking around groggily before going rigid, turning to stare at the disaster below. 

Everything had been for nothing. The sense of failure, of the victory Talon had won, of the lives destroyed in mere seconds all for what reason? A test? To see what they could do?

Genji clenched his hands, his entire posture tensed. Tracer bit her lip wringing her hands, “Do you think....anyone got out other than us?” She asked in a small voice 

“I'm sure most got out. The warning was given urgently and the roads were clear of any other vehicles,” Hanzo answered, coming up beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder, “We did all we could and I'm sure everyone is safe,”

Tracer gave a slight smile, somewhat comforted by his words but the small exchange stung at Genji, riling up a small hint of bitterness. Of course Hanzo could comfort someone who wasn't him. He couldn't even refere to Genji as his brother, never once calling him by any sort of familiar term other than his name. Even now, the cyborg caught the slight, uncertain glance given his way as if Hanzo didn't even know if he should go and talk to his brother. Hanzo's words were sweet lies as well. They were on a back road but that didn't account for all those people who were probably crammed onto main roadways or had had trouble getting things together to leave, not sure what to take.

There were casualties and that thought alone just made Genji feel a more prominent crushing pressure upon his shoulders. He wanted to scream, to cry, to do something to let out the pressure that was building inside him, a wirthing, insidious snake of emotion eating at his very heart. The only response he made was to allow his shoulders to expel a burst of steam, trembling some. 

No one came to his side though. Tracer, perhaps thinking it better to give him space as his posture did not really show he wanted to be bothered, tense and aggressive as it was. Hanzo....why did he even expect family to try and comfort him when Hanzo could barely accept what he was, still full of doubt over how to interact with his brother as if Genjihad become something too foreign to deal with.

Soldier 76 stared at his feet, silent. No longer the Morrison of the past who would have had something to say, some speech to give to raise moral. There were no words like that anymore, just giving the whole scene a more bleak mood. The only miracle of all of this was Reaper wasn't trying to murder any of the Overwatch agents as they stood there, gazing upon the failure of their mission as he had threatened to do. Maybe the mood had taken out the fervor of his blood lust or perhaps their crushing defeat was enough to sooth his hate for now. 

Slowly, Reaper moved away from the car, stepping up beside Genji, arms crossed, his head tiled some as he looked to the side. Nothing was said. Reaper was not one for words or encouragement, but he did reach out to touch Genji's shoulder, just a brush of the fingers as if testing the waters. Silently Genji reached up, taking the hand, pulling it more firmly onto his shoulder, perhaps leaning a bit into the touch for some small margin of creature comfort. A silent desire to be comforted without lies or sugar-coated words. He needed that silence now. He just needed to know someone was there. 

“We need to get moving. Figure out where they might hit next. Need to regroup,” Soldier 76 murmured quietly. 

“I'll contact Winston. He is probably worried anyways but I don't think you should push yourself! You just suffered a concussion most likely!” Tracer patted about her person, her face flushed some, “I left my communicator in the other car,”

“We can use the car phone on speaker,” Hanzo suggested, glancing back to the car, “We should get moving regardless,”

Reaper looked to the other three as they moved to situate themselves before pulling Genji by the shoulder some, “Let's go,”

Genji just gave a mute nod, following along where Reaper pulled him, one hand still on top the one on his shoulder. The day weighed heavily on his shoulders, everything from the past coming back, the confusion of how he felt about anything going on, how everything seemed to slowly be coming apart, overwhelming him slowly with stresses he hadn't planned for, and the fact that even if he himself had come to terms with what he had become, it seemed a very small part of the world wanted him to even have that small bit of success. 

He slid into the car, leaning against Reaper's shoulder, closing his eyes. He heard Tracer talking to Winston, the worry and relief in his voice, the conversation going on sounding more like it was miles away to his tired, troubled mind. He couldn't even remember the last time he had powered down properly. Been a long while since he had refueled his systems as well. 

He felt so detached, the only thing real was the shoulder he was slumped against and the arm wrapped about his shoulders, the touch light, unsure, but still, it was something. Reaper seemed as lost about what he was doing as Genji had felt all weak and just sensing that confusion in the dark mercenary brought a small bit of comfort. Genji still was not sure why Reaper of all people was the one doing so. Maybe though, Genji thought, Reaper just didn't want the cyborg face planting in his crotch from exhaustion. That thought brought a small, tired smile to the corner of Genji's mouth as he leaned more into the scent of leather, gunpowder, and that peculiar spicy scent that seemed to cling to Reaper. Not quiet a cologne. Perhaps nothing more than whatever soap Reaper used. 

Still, it was a silent comfort in of itself as Genji's systems finally shut down for a long, proper recharge and cool down.


	5. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANOTHER LONG ONE! More relationship building and lots of feels in here to. Some hints at the past sprinkled throughout as well :)
> 
> ALSO JUST SAYING THIS, THE M RATING IS EARNED THIS CHAPTER FOR ADULT CONTENT. It is not explicit though, I kept it rather tasteful but there is no doubt shenanigans happened :b Just giving a warning to be polite c: 
> 
> So I hope you enjoy and it was worth the wait!

Chapter Five: Broken 

Genji had never felt so tired that even recharging didn't seem to dispel the heavy fatigue that seemed have settled over his mind. Not even the awful smoothie he had managed to chug down at the airport while they waited for the flight to take them back to base had helped in helping to lesson the weariness that had come with the loss. Not to mention he was mentally drained from having to deal with the arguments over bringing Reaper to their new home base. Genji hadn't backed down, arguing heatedly until Morrison had stepped in to vouche for bringing Reaper back, if only for the fact it was best to know where Reaper was than to not know at all. Still, an ally was an ally. 

It had probably not helped that Genji's temper had been rather explosive the entire argument and probably cussing people out in Japanese hadn't been the greatest defense in why Reaper should come .He was just too tired to be polite and the fact Reaper had been there in the thick of things with them was going to put him on Talon's radar in a less than positive light now unless Talon just didn't care what mercenaries did when off their pay. 

A long flight, a long drive, and a lot of sleep lost between stress and general anxiety over the entire situation though, and Genji was staring down some of other members of the small remnants of Overwatch that had bothered to take up arms again. The disproval looks and boarderline hate being directed at Reaper was hard to miss, especially the glare Winston was giving as if he was about to brea into primal rage and toss Reaper halfway over the mountains in the distance. 

For his part, Reaper just seemed content to glare right back, arms crossed, his postured a little arrogant as if he was holding himself above everyone else which wasn't helping the situation any. Rather, it seemed to be rather antagonistic. Killing agents or not, Reaper was making it clear he wasn't about to play entirely nice and respectful, not by a long shot. 

They all stood there, silently though, Winston and McCree eyeing Reaper, Tracy looking between them, Reaper, and Genji, Hanzo just looking unconcerned about the whole situation and Solider 76 just stood there, almost as if he was a stranger to the whole group still. 

Probably the strangest stare down to happen but Genji was too tired to make light of the whole situation, letting out a frustrated sigh, shoulders hunching forward, “So are we going to stand here silently, staring each other down or can I go inside, get a shower, then find a corner to pass out in?” Genji drawled, eyeing where Winston stood, McCree at his side. 

“You can go on ahead kid, we just are not so certain about one of our new guests,” McCree replied, his rough voice an easy-going drawl, “Given pass raids and well-”

“Keep him under watch,” Soldier 76 interrupted moving over towards the two, his shoulder sagging, “Just let me in before Mercy comes charging out here to medically berate me for vanishing for years on end without getting in contact and getting my health checked out while strapping me to a table,” 

“And can we stop talking about Reaper like he isn't you know, standing right here?” Genji drawled, looking to the mercenary who still had his gaze fixed on Winston and McCree.

Reaper gave a snort, rolling his shoulders some and tilting his head in a very arrogant way that just earned a slight frown from McCree and more of a glare from Reaper, “Not like he seems to be talking much,” McCree commented, “Even less so than before, from what I remember of Gabe,”

Reaper's postured went rigid at the nickname and Genji heard the slight displeased hiss, just shaking his head, “Can we just relax? I think all of us need a rest and like Soldier 76 or Morrison or whatever we are going to call him, Mercy is probably anxious to confirm we are all okay,”

 

Winston gave a snort, but nodded, “I will keep our guests under close surveillance though and no leaving the base without checking in with me and making sure your communication unit is functional,”

“Understood,” Genji grumbled, “Ask papa Winston if we can play outside or face his wrath,”

“Glad you understand,” Winston responded, giving a slight smile before looking to Soldier 76, “It is good to see you again as well Jack although I wish it was under better circumstances. There are some things I wish to speak with you about,”

“Can talk while Mercy checks me out,” Soldier 76 murmured, although it was clear he was not all too keen to be discussing Overwatch in any shape or form. He seemed so different now, uncomfortable and unsure of where he was, but still, there was a glimmer of the old Morrison there under the bitter exterior. 

McCree gave a small chuckle, “Seems like the old team is coming together some,” he paused to look back over towards Reaper, “While you lot are getting looked at, kind of a group decision to leave tall, dark, and deathly there in a cell until we can figure out-”

“He goes where I go,” Genji interrupted, his tone growing a lot colder, “Given his help on this last mission, that at least grants him some semblance of being treated not like some animal to put in a cage,”

Everyone was staring at him now with confusion clear on their faces. He knew they meant well and had every right to be suspicious of Reaper given his personal vendetta and the personal harm he had caused to a few of them, but right now, given everything that happened, Genji wasn't in the mood to argue it all over again.

What crimes he had committed aside, no one deserved to be put aside like some sort of oddity that seemed to have no place, especially in a group of people that were already the odd ones out in society. Genji knew that feeling all to well once more to allow anyone to do the same to another person.

“Well, then he stays with you I suppose,” Winston began slowly, “But Mercy will still want to check you out Genji. Maybe just-”

“I will see her later. Right now I am not in the mood to be lectured about everything okay? I know she is going to be on my case for some things and desite how much I adore her and respect her as a good friend, not in the mood for anything right now other than a shower and my bed,” Genji growled before stalking pass the group, shoulders tensed. 

He didn't even pause to see if Reaper was even going to follow him and for a second, Reaper did not, watching Genji go before starting to slink after the Cyborg, taking the time to shove McCree out of his way as if he had some sort of dominance to stake out. The Cowboy just shot Reaper a look but didn't say anything, placing a cigar to his lips and lighting it up with a flick of his lighter.

Genji didn't care though or make a remark about the action. His mind was already stewing in anger from the whole scene. Nothing anyone had done or said was meant to upset him. If it had been any other time, Genji would have probably brushed it aside or been more gentle in correcting the error rather than being so short with everyone. Now though, after what had happened, after the mercenary whom he had fought, the rage in her eyes, the hatred she had professed that seemed to be creeping up everywhere now...

Genji clenched his fists hunching his shoulders even more as he walked into the locker room, heading straight for the showers. He knew the moment he walked into Mercy's office later she would be asking him if he was all right, questioning his health, probably going to do a test to check if he was brainwashed in the few days he was with Talon. He was more than aware the others thought him all sorts of insane for trusting Reaper any and pushing for them to work with someone who made no effort to hide the fact he wanted them dead. Did they think he would crumple that easy? That his mind could be hacked? 

Like a machine?

The first burst of water from the shower was cold at first but Genji didn't care, removing his mask to set on the shampoo holder, glaring at the wall. He was upset and if Zenyatta was here, the monk would no doubt be shaking his head and gently chiding his student for losing focus and letting his thoughts dwell in personal desires. There would be meditation of course and lecture on how to let go of these feelings and live the path, letting go of “thirst” to live better and let go of suffering. He hurt because he desired complete acceptance. To accept himself, he had to accept that not everyone could or would accept him.

Idly Genji wondered how Zenyatta's teachings would factor in watching people die out of spite towards you. Could their be inner peace when people would die rather than to accept aid based only on what you were?

The question tore through his mind, riling up more feelings of loss, of detachment, and the aching sense of isolation that was settling in. He gritted his teeth, those emotions swelling up with no way to get out. This time he couldn't just bottle it up, act like everything was fine. It was times like this he still wish he had the capability cry, to do something that could remind him he was still very human. The feeling of being trapped inside his own body, like it was some sort of cage started to edge its way into his mind. He gritted his teeth, hands clenching into fists.

The sudden crack of tile breaking as his hand slammed into the wall jolted Genji from his thoughts some, his expression one of slight surprise. He stared at where the curled fist had broke through the tile, not a single indication of pain reaching his senses like it would have if he was more organic. Like it should have if he was more human. 

He felt himself shaking now, just wanting to scream, to do something to let out whatever he was feeling. Gritting his teeth further, he pulled his hand back as if to hit the wall again wanting to feel something as if hitting it more until his hand was a mangled mess could prove something, only to have his wrist caught in a surprisingly firm grip. 

Genji jerked back some, turning, somewhat surprised to see Reaper there. The mercenary had stripped down, sort of, still wearing the hood and mask and still wearing a pair of black boxers that seemed a size to small for how it clung to him. If Genji's mood had been better, he would have found some amusement in the fact that Reaper seemed to have some modesty about his body, still being partially dressed while in a shower of all things. As it were though, he couldn't even work the heart to bring attention this fact. He stared blankly at the mercenary before looking away, frowning some, “What are you doing in the shower?”

“Its a public shower,” Reaper commented, turning his head some to look at the open room, the walls dotted with other shower heads before looking to the wall with the shattered tile and then down to Genji, “You are going to hurt yourself doing that,”

A tired laugh made its way out of Genji, his gaze dropping to the ground, “It doesn't hurt,” he answered quietly, “I haven't had proper feeling in my hands for years so no worries there. Probably most it would do is scratch the finish,”

Quietly Reaper let go of the wrist to better hold the hand, examining it, running his own, scarred hands over the metal, “You're upset,” 

Genji lifted his gaze some to where Reaper was playing with his hand, letting his eyes trail down Reaper's forearm, the same too pale, white skin, peppered with scars with small, crisscrossing streaks of black that Genji realized were veins. It almost seemed like that black fog may be something in his blood, keeping him alive. The cyborg raised one hand to trace his fingers down over the skin, feeling Reaper tense up, uncomfortable with the slight touch at first but he didn't pull away, clearly just needing some time to get use to the touch, “Maybe I guess,” Genji responded softly, “Just...a lot had gone on,”

“You're hurt,” Reaper tilted his head to watch Genji's hand reach the end of his arm, now at his shoulder, lightly touching the hood he wore, “Did she hurt you?”

Genji's gaze shifted to the ground and the tile, a bittersweet smile twisting his scared lips. For how little he spoke, Reaper was far more observant about things than most would be, “Not physically no but,” he looked aside, “Just the usual things that I have to deal with really. The typical hatred because of what I am,”

“Is it that?” Reaper asked, tilting his head, “Didn't seem to bother you before,”

That earned a tired laughed from Genji, “The truth? It does bother me. You could say I just learned to ignore it. Master Zenyatta says their hate is born only of ignorance and they do not understand that not all can be judged for the actions of an individual. Was easier to forgive the looks and whispers , even sometimes the violence directed my way in some cities,” he closed his eyes, “This time though... “ His voice faltered some. In his mind he could see the whole scene, the body smashed to pieces below in a pool of blood, face still twisted in rage. Her last words echoing in his mind in such clarity and yet it seemed almost impossible to put to words what had happen. There was fear that whatever he said to try to describe the anger, the hurt, the feelings of sadness, all twisted up inside of him would be put aside. This in turn only lead to more anger and wanting to lash out, to just run away and never deal with the world again. It would be easier to run away to the monastery and be with the monks to immerse himself in that peace. 

But he wasn't a monk. He couldn't live that life. He was still far too attached to the world, filled with far too much thirst ,as master Zenyatta would say, to break away so cleanly for good. He had spent thirty-five years immersed in the world unlike Zenyatta who had come up in the monastery. It was so, so hard to let go of those memories of belonging. 

“Seems bad advice to just ignore it and endure it,” Reaper commented bluntly.

Genji opened his eyes, flicking his gaze toward Reaper with a slight frown, “Then what would you suggest then? What is your big secret to self acceptance and not caring about what others do according to you?” 

His tone was far more bitter than he intended but it didn't seem to phase Reaper. The mercenary tilted his head, bringing up both his hands to cup Genji's in his own, sliding a thumb over the top of the hand in a thoughtful motion, “I don't know,” 

“You don't know,” Genji repeated flatly, “You say other advice is bad, but you yourself don't know what to say,” He gave a soft breathy chuckle that soon began to grow in volume until he was full on laughing. There was no humor to it but there was a sad sense of relief to the laugh, his voice choking in his throat a bit as Reaper just watched him wordlessly. Genji hunched forward, pulling his hand from Reaper's grip to put both hands on the others shoulders, all but leaning against the mercenary. It was a movement that seemed to catch Reaper off guard as he took a slight step back, both hands coming up but he seemed unsure of where to put them or what to do. This just made Genji laugh more, “you don't know. You. The one person that probably understands how it feels to be always the outcast in ever damn situation socially,” Genji managed out between bouts of that laughter that bordered on a sob, “Everyone else in the world always seems to have their opinion, their solution to ever damn feeling, but you, the one person that you would think would have one, has nothing to say,”

Reaper awkwardly put his hands on Genji's sides, tilting his head as he looked down at the shorter man, “...does that upset you?”

The question caused the laughter to die off some although the bitter smile didn't leave Genji's face as he shook his head, “No. It doesn't upset me,” Genji took a breath, trying to steady his voice which was so close to breaking now, “If anything, it strangly makes me feel better, like validation that maybe I'll never figure anything out and I'm not alone in that,”

The mercenary tilted his head a bit more, leaning in, one hand reaching up to touch the side of Genji's face. He didn't speak before moving to lower his hand, “You confuse me,”

That earned an honest laugh from Genji, the cyborg giving a hint of a true smile, the first since the whole incident, “I should be saying that to you. Nothing you do makes any sense. First you hated me and wanted to kill me. Called me a machine and all the other insults. Then you are saving me. Then you are driving me around. Then you are not killing Overwatch to help us even though I swear I saw a part of you die in doing that,” Genji shook his head, “Should I ask why?”

Reaper was silent for a bit, staring off before letting out a small growl, moving to rest his hands back on Genji's hips, an almost shy touch as if he wasn't sure if he should or not, “Complications,” he finally said at last, “there are new complications. New things to consider. New methods to consider,”

The cyborg put one of his own hands on top of Reaper's own, more or less giving him a silent encouragement it was okay to touch. Honestly, it was a bit comforting to have someone else wanting to touch him after that mercenary's spite. Remembering her though caused Genji to dip his head down, feeling another question burning up inside of him, “I suppose you won't go into details about your change of heart?”

He didn't answer but Genji had expected that. Some things would need more time to work their way out of Reaper and the mercenary seemed to only reveal things when he felt good and ready. Another question was burning inside though. The Cyborg brought both his hands down Reaper's arms, moving to take a hold of his hands lightly now, “You hate Overwatch agents, that I know,” he murmured quietly, “If you were...going to die, would you reject their help?”

This time the silence was more tense and Reaper's body language had become suddenly more agitated. He didn't speak for a long while and Genji wondered if it would be just another question he would let hang in the air before Reaper dipped his head down, avoiding eye contact, “Maybe,” he finally said, his tone a touch soft.

It sent a cold feeling through Genji, his grip on Reaper's hands tightening slightly, “Maybe?”

“Last time they helped,” Reaper began slowly, “There was pain. So much pain. It hurt,” His tone felt unsure, anger there in full force but there was a tinge of something else. A quiver that was barely noticeable as if saying this much was so incredibly difficult to get out, “I do not trust them to not make it hurt again, but, you,” he paused collecting his thoughts before finally managing out the last words, “You are the only reason the answer is maybe,”

Genji stared at Reaper silently for a moment. That cold feeling was replaced by a sudden warmth. Reaper would spit in the eye of the entire world rather than admit he needed help or accept help.

With one exception.

The cyborg leaned in closer, feeling Reaper tense up all over again, going as rigid as a board when Genji wrapped his arms around him, “Well then, if you don't kill anyone, I'll make sure to keep everyone well away from bothering you, Gabriel,”

“Reaper. Call me Reaper,” the mercenary murmured, awkwardly putting his hands on Genji's shoulder.

“Reaper it is,” Genji couldn't keep the smile off his face, pressing his face against the others chest, “You don't mind the hug then? I can stop if you are feeling really out of place just, I really wanted to,”

 

“I don't mind,” Reaper murmured, lightly running his fingers over the curve of Genji's hips, getting a bit bolder in his touch again, at least comfortable enough to be a little more assertive in where he put his hands.

Genji leaned into the touch some. That alone brought up very old memories of how life was like being fully organic, and his extravagant lifestyle. He never been alone for long, always having some lover to warm the bed and many a night of passion until the very act itself had come to mean nothing but some stress relief and fun. It had been so very, very long since had tried to be intimate with another. Things were different. 

For one thing, most individuals who had expressed interest since his change saw him as a fuel for their fetishes, people who wanted to do it with a sentient machine to fulfill a fantasy. He had been either abhorred or sexualized completely. It had become another thing to ignore. Just another part of who he was shut down as anxiety began to make its way into the act, making it harder to enjoy the moment to the point he had eventually given up. Of course he had laughed it off and claimed it was more he was too busy but the fact of the matter was he hadn't felt the desire to seek out partners, to afraid he would just become another object of desire. 

It was nice to be touched in a way that was so unsure. The fact that Reaper was nervous even about where to put his hands or if it was entirely all right, not to mention his modesty, was refreshing compared to his usual partners in the past. Genji sighed, unable to keep from smiling some, feeling the tensions and stress start to work their way out. Those feelings were not gone, they still lingered under the surface, but for now, he had some peace of mind to start to move past it all again and begin the process of healing once more. 

“You know, Reaper,” he began slowly, “Most people don't shower in their undergarments or wear a hood and mask. A bit modest are we?”

Reaper gave a slight growl, stiffening some, “Seemed rude to come in naked,”

“Just saying now, wouldn't mind you coming into a shower with me naked,” Genji gave Reaper a little grin, quirking an eyebrow, “Or into my bed,”

That made the mercenary really go rigid again, looking around some as if he was sure the rest of Overwatch was going to jump out and someone was going to say this was a huge joke. He didn't respond though and Genji only chuckled, “Too uncomfortable about that topic?”

“No,” Reaper shot back quickly. He paused before letting out a growl, moving to wrap his arms about Genji in what was possibly the most awkward, flustered hug Genji had ever received. Clumsy, maybe a bit too tight, and the angle was all off as Reaper had to bend down some to complete the bear hug. It was the worse hug ever just to prove he was not at all entirely unsure of how to handle a situation where he wasn't being asked to shoot something dead and had to be marginally nice and express his emotions in a healthy way. 

And despite all that Genji loved every second of it, grinning ear to ear with a look that showed he wanted to say something about this whole scene but was holding back. It was the best hug in a long time. The best-worse hug that he would never forget or feel so happy to have gotten.

It cheered him up. Mister tall, dark, gruesome, and consumed with hatred and death trying his best to be comforting was not something to mock. Honestly in a strange sort of way it was absolutely adorable. Genji wriggled in his bear hug some, enough to get an arm lose to wrap about Reaper's neck in a one armed hug, leaning up to press his forehead against Reaper's own, giving a small smile, “See, I wouldn't expect you to be the most comforting of souls,”

“I'm not,” Reaper responded with a grumble, “This is hard. And stupid,”

“You are still doing it,” Genji pointed out.

“I know,” Reaper growled, shifting to adjust his grip some, “You are making me as stupid as you,”

“Aww, don't be like that. I like it when you act stupidly comforting,” Genji wriggled again, getting his other arm free as he wrapped that around Reaper, pressing himself up against the half-dressed mercenary, finding him surprisingly warm for how cold he acted. Maybe it was the heat of the shower still going on.

Genji sincerely hoped there was not a water bill to pay or Winston was going to really be on his ass no doubt about letting the water run.

The cyborg slid one hand down the mask, tilting his head some, “So, you going to take this off maybe? Let me see your pretty face?”

Reaper turned his head, one hand coming up to pull Genji's hand away from the mask, “No,” he murmured, then after a moment of pause he let out a soft sigh, not an irritated one like he often gave, more an uneasy one, as if unsure about something, “Not yet,”

“Whenever you are ready then. I don't mind the mask. It fits you,” Genji gave a small reassuring smile, punctuating the statement with giving a slight kiss to the forehead earning the strangest sound from Reaper that nearly had Genji bursting out in laughter.

It had honestly sound like a growl of irritation crossed with a sound of surprise coming out more like a cat that had just had its tail stepped on. He didn't pull away so Genji just repeated the action, grinning some before pulling back some, “I didn't take you for being so shy. I thought you were all cold and foreboding because you were just so full of angst, hatred, and brood, but now I see the truth. You just are socially awkward eh?”

“I am not,” Reaper shot back, leaning in then, clearly trying to be slightly intimidating, “You are being annoying now,”

“Back to day one already!” Genji replied cheerfully, moving to throw his arms about Reaper's neck, pulling the mercenary down some, “But still, thank you. For everything. Saving my life, twice now mind you, and well, for just being here,”

That only earned a small grunt from Reaper as he turned his head, “You are worse when you are brooding,”

“Is it because I do it better?” Genji asked, tilting his head, “Cramping on your brooding style?”

“I like your smile,” Reaper bluntly stated causing Genji to blink.

Well, it seemed that getting Reaper off guard and a little flustered was the key to getting him to speak up about some things. Genji just smiled more, feeling that giddy sort of warmth building in his chest, fueling his behavior. He felt almost back to normal, or at least, the distraction was enough to keep his mind focused on other, more important things.

Genji moved to wrap his arms more firmly about Reaper's neck before jumping up to wrap his legs about Reaper's hips, giving a playful grin, arching an eyebrow. The mercenary staggered, his hands coming up to grab onto Genji's legs to help support him against his body, but clearly was making an effort not to hold the cyborg by the rear. That small detail did not go unnoticed by Genji, making the cyborg give a more mischievous look to the mercenary, “You know, it is easier to carry someone like this if you hold them under their ass,” he pointed out.

“Yeah. And?” Reaper asked, the usual irritation there that came when the mercenary was feeling a little off-guard. 

“Most people I know would literally jump at the chance to touch my ass. I've been told it is one of my finer...ass-sets,” Genji couldn't help but laugh at his bad pun as Reaper just stared hard at him with a look that was no doubt very unimpressed. For a moment, Genji wondered if Reaper was just going to drop him and walk away. 

Thankfully, he didn't shift his hands,keeping them firmly on Genji's legs, “I'm not going to feel you up like that,”

“You are the first in a long time to say that,” Genji admitted, giving a small smile, nuzzling his head into the covered neck of the mercenary, “I know I like to joke about my escapades and I will not lie that my history is rather extensive in terms of such things but, it is nice to not be seen just for my body,”

Reaper tilted his head some and Genji could sense some confusion in the posture but the mercenary didn't comment on it, instead asking another question, “What now?”

Genji paused before reaching back to turn off the shower before someone ran in here screaming about how the hot water was gone or something like that or try to slap a water bill on him and his nonexistent income. It gave him a moment to think on what was next. 

One part, one largely buried part of himself that had begun to awake had very clear ideas of what to do next. That part was very vocal in talking about all the things that could be achieved between the sheets, digging fingers against pale skin, adding new marks to the menagerie of scars while feeling that dark mercenary work out some of that wordless frustration on his body. That awful, sinful voice was more than helpful in gleefully relaying details of how rough things could get.

Just those thoughts were enough to click Genji's internal systems up a few degrees. Still, it didn't seem Reaper was much interested in that, at least, not entirely so from how he was still rather rigid in his body posture and Genji wasn't sure if it was because of lack of interest or if just general uncertainty about the act itself. Maybe he was not sure if Genji would proceed at all.

Given that most people who touched Reaper ended up rather dead, Genji could only assume he had a longer dry spell than himself in terms of actual intimacy. Genji wasn't even sure if Gabriel had even had any sort of personal life in the days of Overwatch before everything came crashing down. Most rumors back then always seemed to center around McCree and his flirting with just about anyone with a tip of his hat and that Western hospitality. At least though, Reaper seemed more than comfortable with intimacy between them despite both being men. That or just very, very comfortable with being half-naked with men in the shower and letting fellow men straddle his hips in rather provocative positions. 

Carefully, Genji leaned in to press a little closer, one hand coming up to gently peel the wet hood back some to expose the pale white skin of Reaper's neck, leaning in to give a small kiss, testing the waters. Reaper jerked some but didn't pull away entirely, his grip tightening some on Genji's leg. He turned his head some as Genji drew back, the cyborg giving a faint smile, “Well, there are a few things I suppose but just would be happy for your company tonight, even if it is just you standing in the corner giving me disgruntled looks. It still makes me feel like you care when you do that,”

 

“You have the strangest ideas,” Reaper murmured, turning his head to glance over his shoulder. 

Genji gave a soft laugh, “Maybe. Just a bit,” He trailed one hand down Reaper's bare chest, tracing over the muscles there. Clearly Reaper still kept himself in top condition, “Its been a long while. Last time I couldn't even get in the mood if you could believe it. I literally texted Tracer to call me about a mission as an excuse to bail. You wouldn't believe how many people see me as some sort of sex bot or something,”

“I'll kill them,” Reaper growled out, making Genji snort, shaking his head, raising a hand to tap Reaper on the nose of his mask.

“Let's not go that far. I'm trying to get you to kill less people, not more. We are trying to contain your anger and hatred ,not add to the already ridiculously long list,” The cyborg shifted moving to get his feet back on the floor, “Still though, you can share my room with me regardless if anything happens or it just ends up being you standing in a corner,”

Reaper tilted his head some as Genji reluctantly untangled himself from the other man, “Just wouldn't be against some company,” the cyborg murmured, taking a step back.

The mercenary gave a low growl and an irritated sigh before nodding, crossing his arms over his chest, “Fine,”

It was a vague answer and didn't really say what exactly Reaper was agreeing to, but still, it made Genji feel better. He wouldn't be alone with his thoughts tonight and have someone to be with, not in the way of a friend entirely. Not like how he was with Zenyatta or Mercy or other friends he had. They were near and dear to him, there was no doubt about it. If any of them were to get hurt he would be devastated and probalby take a leaf out of Reaper's book in terms of serving retributions to those who dared to harm his friends and adopted family, but this relationship with Reaper, whatever it was, was different. 

It felt different. 

Genji picked up his mask, not bothering to put it on and carrying it with him as he steped back into the locker area, moving to his own locker, and punching in the code to get the towel he has stowed in it out. Reaper ghosted by, a cloud of smoke, more or less sliding back into his clothes seamlessly, all trace of moisture gone. Genji shook his head, “That must be a handy talent to have. Instantly drying off,”

Reaper was quiet before giving a shrug, “Saves on dry cleaning,” He said at length, not quiet sure of himself, but Genji only gave a chuckle. 

Seems the lord of doom and gloom was starting to develop some ability to joke back. Genji tossed the towel back in, slamming the locker closed before moving up to slip the hand not holding his mask into one of Reaper's hands, starting to pull the mercenary along down the hallway, “What do you need to save? Seems like you have a lot of money and nothing to spend it on,”

“I don't have anything to spend it on but I don't like spending it at all,” Reaper affirmed, letting Genji pull him along the hallway to the living quarters.

“Well you could always give it to me. I'm sure I could find things to spend it on unless you are saving it all to make a money pool to swim in one day,” Genji said with a wink, coming to a stop in front of his room.

Reaper crossed his arms as Genji turned to the door, “Fine. Whatever,” 

It didn't take Genji long to punch in the door code to his room, pulling Reaper in and closing the door behind them. As far as he was concerned, he was keeping an eye on Reaper, just as he said he would to sooth the worries of the rest of his friends by letting Reaper stay in his room.

A really close eye.

He let go of Reaper's hand once inside and moved to flop back onto his bed, stretching out some with a sigh before propping himself up on an elbow, “So, where do you prefer to be?”

Reaper stood there for a moment before stalking over to the bed and sitting down on the edge of it, putting his hands in his lap. Genji gave a snort reaching over to pull Reaper down onto the bed more, shaking his head, “I don't bite unless you ask me to. Don't have to sit like a gentlemen,”

“Bite me?” Reaper asked, shifting about to get comfortable on the bed while Genji all but started to sprawl out on top of him, running a hand down the familiar leather, perhaps, just a bit, wishing he was less dressed again to take more of him again. 

“I wouldn't mind putting a few marks on you,” Genji admitted, giving a sheepish grin, “I think I'm getting fond of you,”

“Ah,” Was the simple one word response from the mercenary. He had gone rigid again although moved to put an arm around Genji's waist, less hesitantly than before, growing a bit more comfortable although it was still light enough to indicate he would quickly pull the arm back if Genji rebuked the advance. Honestly, Genji was more than happy with this, tucked in close, feeling secure and safe, ironically in the one armed embrace of a mercenary who had in no uncertain terms threatened his friends and had actually killed other people in Overwatch.

There was still a small bit of guilt over that. There was no excuse for Reaper's behavior, but did it mean he was entirely beyond redemption? He clearly could be reasoned with to back down even if that reason was he could kill them later at his own leisure. There was some sort of inner conflict Reaper was struggling to figure out now if his few words in the shower were anything to go on. Was it completely wrong to... feel something for Reaper?

Genji sighed some, letting his hands slide to Reaper's shoulder, while the mercenary sat up, propping himself up in the pillows, “You are still upset,” Reaper bluntly said in his usual low tone.

“No, not really. Not as much,” Genji answered, “Just thinking about things. Over complicating things probably. I am really thinking too much about things in my opinion,”

Reaper quietly watched him for a moment before rummaging a bit in his jacket before pulling out a fairly new looking cellphone. He tapped the screen, quickly putting in the pass-code to unlock it, bringing up the picture roll before handing it to Genji, “There. Now cheer up,”

Genji took the phone in slight confusion before looking at the picture. A picture of Reaper, laying in a chair with two cats sleeping on him. Clearly a selfie from the angle. A flick of the screen showed another picture of Reaper with cats. Then another, and another. Reaper with cats tucked in his jacket. Reaper with two kittens getting belly rubs. Reaper lounged out on the couch trying to clean a gun while a cat was trying to swat at his face for attention. There was also many pictures of just cats. Cute cats. House cats. Wild cats. Fat cats. Slowly Genji arched an eyebrow.

“Do I want to ask why you have so many selfies of you with cats?” Genji asked, unable to hide the smile on his face.

“Widowmaker sends a text she had a bad day. I send her pictures of cats,” Reaper gave a shrug, “She gives me free rides on her ship,” 

“Sounds like a good deal,” Genji chuckled, switching out of the pictures to the contact list, “I'm putting my number into your phone and texting myself, so I get your number,”

“Whatever,” Reaper leaned back more into the pillows, moving to put his hands behind his head as Genji flopped over him, starting to snoop around the mercenary's phone. There were a few of the standard app games that had some playtime to them. A music option as well that was filled with songs. Idly Genji scrolled through. Really Reaper's taste in music was all over the place but seemed to be heavy in the department of pop. 

Genji flicked out of the music, glancing towards the mercenary, “If I have a bad day, will you send me pictures of you with cats too?”

“If you want,” Reaper answered. His posture was more relaxed now, not as tense as before, starting to get more comfortable at last. Genji turned off the phone, setting it on the nightstand before moving to lean over Reaper some. 

“I would like that,” He paused before letting out a slight sigh, moving to lie his head against Reaper's chest, “What are we even doing? A few days ago you were trying to kill me and now...”

There was no response from Reaper other than a shift to bring a hand down to Genji's back in another awkward one arm hug that only Reaper could give. His small attempt at affection. Genji shifted, growing a bit more bold as he moved to straddle the mercenary some, sitting up as he rested his hands on Reaper's shoulders, “Won't lie, you've grown on me. A lot more than I really can say. Sort of seems like it came out of no where,” he gave a quiet laugh, “But I don't have clue how you feel about this,”

 

The mercenary didn't respond,at least not with words. He lay there silently before reaching up, carefully as if trying not to break something, both arms snaking about the young Shimada's hips before sliding up to his shoulders to pull him down into a hug, a more proper one than before. It was tight, but not like the bear hug from before, a slow rub of fingers over Genji's shoulders as Reaper turned his head, almost as if embarrassed of the whole thing to press the masked face against his neck with a soft sigh. Not one of irritation, if anything it seemed more worried, anxious. 

A sound someone unsure of what to say would give.

Or someone to scared to admit what they felt.

Genji slid his hands down to return the embrace, pressing himself against the other perhaps a little more desperate than he would like for this sort of intimacy with someone else who was just as unsure of it all, that was just as lost. It almost felt like going back in time to when he had first started to date someone and he and his partner were toeing the line about taking the next step. 

Here though, it was just taking even one step towards admitting that there was something a lot more between then just attraction or tension. Reaper clearly didn't have too much interest in the physical aspects of his body, or if he did, did not bring attention to that fact, showing a level of respect for Genji's personal space that was so new, yet not unwelcomed. 

The cyborg brought his hands up to Reaper's shoulders, tugging on them as he shifted his weight, switching their positions. Reaper didn't fight the movement, rolling into it until he was now on top, propping himself up on his hands and looking down at Genji. The intensity o the stare was there, a silent question there. 

Genji felt guilt, contusion, uncertainty, anda linger sense of sadness and anger at the corner of his mind compiled with this longing that was starting to form. Just a desire to have one small question answered. He leaned up to press a kiss against the mask, a more lingering one than beforeand only pulled back a centimeter, eyes half closed, staring into those dark eye holes. There was no movement from Reaper at first before the mercenary lifted a hand to cup the side of Genji's face, sliding the thumb over the cyborg's lips in a silent return of the gesture in his own way.

Genji shifted, moving to hook his legs about the others hips as Reaper slowly eased himself down onto his elbows starting to press up against the other man with that same slow pace of a blind man feeling his way out in the dark. He paused to remove his gloves again running them over Genji's metal body, carefully maping out the details he felt comfortable touching. A soft hum of enjoyment escaped the cyborg, his own hands kneading lightly against Reaper's shoulders, a silent encouragement to continue as he arched his hips some, pressing more firmly against th mercenary to test the waters. 

A thrill raced through Genji as he felt that assured sign of interest he knew too well. The contact was enough to cause Reaper ot arch some, letting out a low hissing sound and return the gesture. Heat, Reaper was a lot warmer than one might think. Not entirely the temperature of a man that many thought was dead. Where that heat came from or why, it was hard to say without knowing more of what Reaper was, but Genji wasn't about to question it, not when he was pulling at that jacket, wishing the mercenary had just stayed half clothed rather than dressing back up in his full uniform. There was far too many latches and belts to pull through in addition to the body armor the mercenary wore. 

Far too much in the way right now. 

For how slow things had started, the moment itself seemed to be speeding up as old desires were being fueled once more, the familiar stir of arousal starting to take root in the core of Genji's stomach with ever bit of friction between them. Exposing that pale white skin time was met with a desire to touch ever inch of it, metal hands roving over the scars again, this time with more fervor and pressure, trying to find every little spot that would make his strange bedfellow give those approving hisses, the muscles pulling taunt as he arched away or into each small touch. 

There was a slight sense of urgency at this point almost, Reaper's hands starting to dip lower into new territory, tentatively starting to figure out the situation that was to be presented. Genji shifted sheepishly, giving a slight grin as Reaper sat back some on his heels, staring at his crotch with an almost perplexed tilt of his head before slowly raising his gaze to Genji. The silent question was all but apparent in Reaper's body language and Genji had to bite back a laugh as he could just imagine the question Reaper was mentally asking in terms of how the hell he was suppose to proceed with intimacy with a cyborg at all. 

“Ah.... a second,” Genji managed, biting back his mirth. Despite how comfortable he was with his new form, he was always still a bit shy about this step and once more glad he had lost the ability to blush with his change. He reached down with both hands as he tapped into the systems needed to engage in the more physical aspects of intimacy. Mercy was a professional through and through. His body was a masterpiece of bio-engineering, the mechanic parts melded into the organic to sustain his life indefinitely. Although Mercy had done her best to maintain some semblance of his body, some things were not made to be fully accessible and Genji hadn't really wanted to have that long talk about how he might like certain modifications. 

Luckily with the many omnics taking on human lovers a rather thriving market for modifications of the more sexual nature had thrived, one that Genji had dabbled in during his time in an attempt to feel more like his old self. Such modifications though needed a bit more coaxing and instruction for those new to the game. 

Genji kept his gaze on Reaper as he worked a few fingers over the sheath, letting the sub-routines work their magic in revealing just what the mercenary had to work with. He felt hot and if he could have blushed, Genji was sure his face would be beat red at the intensity of Reaper's stare to his groin as if he was carefully taking note on some battle strategy. 

There was a long pause of silence before Reaper lifted his head, those black eye sockets of the mask boring into Genji, “Why does it glow?”

“Look, it just came with everything else and this was the least strange, kinky fetish fuel model they had at the time,” Genji defended, crossing his arms and avoiding eye contact, “Don't judge me,”

Reaper just dropped his gaze back down before looking back up, “What is the point of it glowing?”

“I don't know! Maybe in case one partner can't find the other ones dick or in case you lose the condom you can use your Omnic crotch glowstick to find it,” Genji snapped, “Can we drop it? This is killing the mood,”

The mercenary only snorted, leaning in to bump his mask against Genji's neck in a slight nuzzle as his hands went to work, starting to explore the newly revealed territory, causing Genji to shiver some biting back the noise that wanted to come out. Reaper may have been timid about the whole affair and took some time to warm up to the idea, but by no means was he completely inexperienced. He seemed to have a rather firm grip on what to do, in more ways than one.

Genji grumbled some, shifting a bit as Reaper began to apply those rough hands to where he was aching the most, leaning up to bury his face against the hood as he gripped the others shoulders. This wasn't some passionate encounter, not in the way books and movies liked to play things out. This was a gentle, almost awkward encounter, that mapping out of the other and seeing what their partner enjoyed. It made Genji feel better about it all, it didn't feel like Reaper was being pressured to this, going about things at his own pace but at the same time being rather blunt. Genji had to bury his face against Reaper's shoulder, trying to fight a chuckle as he realized he was going to fondly recall Reaper's reaction to his modification every time he thought about their first time.

Reaper paused some, turning his head as he leaned back some to regard Genji with a slight tilt of head as if questioning why Genji was halfway between snickering and letting out soft sounds of enjoyment. The cyborg just flashed a grin, reaching up to cup the mask, leaning in to bump his nose and forehead against it before flopping back, dragging the mercenary down with him. Reaper grunted, but didn't protest the movement, taking the time to get more comfortable between the legs of his partner, “you are in a mood,” Reaper commented.

“You put me in a mood,” Genji responded fondly, eyes half closed, “but are you completely okay with this?”

“Why wouldn't I?” Reaper asked, his response as blunt and to the point as he ran a hand over Genji's face as if to try and sooth that small kernel of uncertainty, “You need this,”

“I just don't want you to seem pressured,” Genji murmured, leaning into the touch some, turning his head to kiss the hand lightly, “I mean-”

“You talk to much,” Reaper interrupted, leaning in, “And making this complicated,”

Genji shifted some, shivering as movement caused a slight bit of friction between them, making him want to throw this talk entirely out the window to just get the immediate physical gratification. He pushed that thought away for now. This needed to be said. This needed to be understood. 

“Don't do this because you think I need it,” Genji murmured, “I don't want to ruin whatever we have because I'm getting antsy and worked up,”

Reaper tilted his head, silent for a moment before shaking his head, rolling over to the side, one hand moving to pull Genji by the hip in a half spooning position, “It isn't one-sided, if that is what you are worry about,”

“Just making sure. I'll have you know this is the most talking I've done in bed that wasn't dirty talk,” Genji admitted, “But you were nervous earlier-”

“I'm not now,” Reaper gave a low growl and a firm roll of his hips, “I'm not use to touching,”

“Yes but,” Genji began only to have Reaper give a growling sigh, putting a hand on his mouth and giving him a long stare. A long stare that Genji could practically feel the look Reaper was giving him, punctuated with a firm grind of the mercenary's hips, the other hand helping to keep one of Genji's legs over his hip in the spooning position they were in now. The point was clear though.

He wouldn't let anyone pressure him to anything and if he wanted to be here, to engage in the more physical expression of the confusing mess of feelings they were working through, then he was going to do so. Genji gave a sigh and a nod, pressing up closer and pressing his face to Reaper's chest, feeling a bit more at ease. Any ease he felt was quickly replaced with a jolt of pleasure and a slight gasp at Reaper going back to work, the mercenary letting out a low growl as he leaned in close, “do you have something for-”

“In the drawer,” Genji murmured breathlessly, leaning back some to grope towards the nightstand, fingers playing off the drawer handle some as he gave a groan off frustration. Reaper gave a snort, pushing Genji flat onto his back to lean over him and get the drawer open, fishing out the a bottle of machine lube and looking down at Genji, “How do you-”

“Doesn't matter,” Genji reached up, wrapping his arms about Reaper's waist, pressing his face some against the taunt muscles there, “Just as long as its you,”

Reaper tilted his head some, pausing for a moment before quickly shifting down to press up his face against the back of Genji's neck, “Good,” 

His tone was soft, not the typical growl but his touch was rougher, not entirely refined, not the touch of someone who did this often, but it was still enough to fuel the fire that was building once more, drowning out other thoughts all for the simple need to be touched.

The sensation of drowning in that embrace, of the foreplay that was stretched out with every bump and brush. The bruising grip of hands against pale flesh. All the frustration and anger, the sadness, the whole sense of failure was washed away for the moment in an overwhelming heat of arousal that had long been absent from both their lives. Fingers digging into sheets, the only sounds were those feral growls of pleasure that seemed to well up from some primal need, coupled with the whispered encouragements of more. Always more was needed until the pinnacle of the evening was reached in a sudden choked cry answered by a barely audible gasp of release, the frenzied motions coming to a sudden halt as the final wave of pleasure crashed into the shallows of the warm afterglow.

It had been a long time since Genji had felt so relaxed with a partner. Typically there was just more groping, whispered dirty talk, just a general feeling that the whole event was only meant to be a sexual gratification and nothing more. Reaper didn't speak, but his touch was just as light as before they started, subtle as he pulled Genji closer, resting his head on the cyborg's shoulder some. 

It was so rare to have someone want more than just the exertion of sex. Genji turned his head some, pressing a quick kiss against the mask, a slight smile on his face, “You actually don't just flit off after the fact,”

“Why would I?” Reaper murmured, his tone lazy, relaxed, liked a sated predator. One hand was idly tracing over the valves on Genji's shoulder which were popped out, letting out a low hiss of steam.

“Most people do. Even before I became what I am today,” Genji rolled over carefully, aware of a few aches that signaled a rough time, but one that was entirely welcomed, “When you are open about your sexuality in any way, seems to be a reason people are going to see you first as an easy lay. More so when I became a machine. You would not believe the fetishes out there or people thinking it is okay to touch,”

“Thank god if people touch me they die,” Reaper drawled earning a chuckle from Genji.

“I suppose that does help with keeping unwanted people from getting too cozy. That and the fact I'm pretty sure the only gun you are going to give them is a shotgun,” Genji stretched out some, lazily wrapping an arm about Reaper, enjoying the casual talk, “But also seems lonely,”

Reaper gave a snort, rolling onto his back now although he kept one arm around Genji. He didn't say anything in response more than content to continue to lay there. Genji sat up some, giving an amused look to Reaper, “You get really lazy after a romp I see,”

“You get really ...you after a romp,” Reaper retorted back lamely. 

That earned a laugh from Genji as he tiled his head, “I am glad to see I have made such an impression that I have become a state of being. I've finally achieved my dream of being an adjective to describe post coital bliss,”

The mercenary reached up to put one hand on Genji's hand and gave a half-hearted shove as the cyborg chuckled, “Brat,”

“You love it,” Genji drawled, still smiling in amusement before jumping as there was a knock at the door. 

Perhaps out of habit, a reflex instinct, Genji had practically jumped out of the bed, causing Reaper to give a grunt as an elbow accidentally collided with his side. He had scarcely sat up before a sheet was tossed over him, “....why the sheet?”

“Sorry! Just,” Genji was moving to the door, tripping over discarded clothing some as he got to the door, “when my brother was about to barge in and try and give me a lecture about my sleeping habits, I literally would try hiding my partner under the sheet,”

Reaper pulled the blanket off his face and stared, the unimpressed look that Reaper was probably giving him under the mask could be felt burning into Genji as he gave a sheepish look, “What? My bedroom was on the third floor. Not like I could have pushed them out the window and hoped for the best. Pretty sure Hanzo would notice someone flailing as they fell out the window to break a leg in the bushes below,”

Reaper just gave a snort, shaking his head as the cyborg opened the door a crack, to reveal McCree standing in the hallway arms crossed, “Ah, McCree. Something up?”

“Mercy sent me to get you for a check-up. She's getting worried about you and all,” McCree answered, “You've been gone for a week and haven't really filled in anyone on the details of what was going on with you,”

“Ah,well given the mission, wasn't too much time to explain, but I suppose I do owe an explanation,” he paused some before holding up a finger, “But I'm going to need about half and hour to handle some things because there are some things I'm sure Mercy doesn't want to be looking at,”

McCree raised both hands, “I'm just the messenger. I'll tell her you are on the way and you spare me all the details of whatever the heck you do in your spare time,”

“Probably for the best. I'll be there soon,” he gave a nod to the cowboy who returned the gesture before closing the door and looking back to where Reaper was laid out on the bed, fully dressed again as if nothing ever happened. Genji heaved a sigh, “It is times like this I wish I had a personal bathroom,”

“You are going to see Mercy then,” Reaper stated bluntly, the edge starting to return to his voice.

“Before she worries any further. She is a medical professional and our health is first and foremost not to mention a dear friend who just worries about me in general,” Genji moved to take a seat on the edge of the bed, leaning back some, “You want to come with me or?” he trailed off as Reaper tensed more, a low growl starting to make itself known. 

“No. I want to kill her last,” Reaper all but spat out, “I might be able to hold to that promise if I see her,”

Gently, Genji reached out to touch Reaper's shoulder, “What happened between the two of you?”

Reaper looked at the hand touching him before looking away, not answering. He wasn't going to answer that question for a while, that much was clear. There were still a good many things it seemed Reaper wasn't going to open up to, at least not right away. Genji let out a sigh before getting to his feet, “Well, stay here, don't get into trouble, don't kill anyone, and don't bring any stray cats into the base. I think McCree is allergic,”

That just earned a snort from Reaper as he crossed his arms, hunching over some as Genji darted out the door, heading back to the shower room. Genji was pretty sure the fact the water blasted out cold rather than hot was a passive aggressive dig by the bases AI, Athena, for wasting so much hot water earlier. One cold shower and many minutes of cursing later, Genji slunk into the medical bay warily. 

He had barely taken two steps when a small hand was set firmly on his shoulder, turning him around and a medical scanner was practically being shoved in his face, “You should have reported here first for medical attention Genji Shimada,” Mercy scolded, “You never know what medical problems could have occurred that you aren't aware of!”

Genji winced some, looking away like a scolded child. When Mercy was using your full name, she was not a happy healer, “I just needed to cool off some. Get the newest guest settled in,”

Mercy paused at the mention of their guest, her expression one that was a bit more reserved before snapping back to a more professional, determined look, “Yes well, that is another thing to check. The others are concerned about how close you and Reaper-”

“I'm not brainwashed,” Genji drawled, “Its a long story but it involves Reaper wanting to kill me, not allowed to kill me, now doesn't want to kill me, and now we are in a complicated relationship that is as of now, undefined but I'm just going to say more than friends with benefits,”

“I didn't mean to imply that,” Mercy responded softly, “I mean, his ability to instantly harm others. I was just worried about his touch affecting you,”

“Doesn't actually seem to bother me,” Genji took a slight step back, putting up both hands, “Really I'm fine. Just-”

“Your communication system has been completely removed and they seemed to have been in the process of trying to install some sort of homing beacon instead,” Mercy interrupted, “You are working at only fifty-five percent efficiency and looks like this is being caused by organic material not being processed well in your intake digestive system. Have you been eating solid food again?” Mercy asked, pursing her lips.

“Well, trying not to but blenders don't always get it down as nice as the kitchen super blender we have here,” Genji responded meekly, “So okay, maybe I should have gotten a check-up first,”

Mercy shook her head, tucking a lock of blond hair behind her ear, “We are going to have to remove the blockage manually as well as whatever Talon was trying to install,” she gestured to the table at the center of her medical ward, “You know the drill,”

“Yeah yeah,” Genji slunk across the room, pulling himself up on the berth and laying out, letting out a sigh, “I always hate this part,”

Mercy came over pressed a device to the side of Genji's neck, making his body twitch and tense up before going slack,everything from the neck down going completely numb, “Well, your own fault for not following doctor's orders,”

“I tried,” Genji protested,staring up at the ceiling as Mercy began to tap at the control panel to the side, the shimmer of a blue shield coming up to form a quarantined perimeter around the berth, “I at least took in proper nutrients?”

“Depends if you just tried to have liquid ramen again, then I know for a fact you weren't sticking to diet,” Mercy commented, a small smile on her face, “About to open up,”

Genji grimaced as the robotic arms came down from the ceiling, moving to start the process of removing the plating of the chest. It was always a weird sensation to get an internal tune-up but he knew it was a necessity. 

Didn't mean he disliked it any less. 

“I am on a no ramen diet, much to my everlasting sadness,” Genji responded, turning his head to watch Mercy as her fingers danced over the console, “Any luck on that new system that, you know, lets me eat solid food without leading to my death?”

“Still a work in progress but I think I'm making some break throughs,” Mercy replied with a smile, looking up at Genji, “Just having issues with a few components, but in a year, should have something to propose to you,”

The cyborg just gave a smile, keeping his attention on the conversation rather than the face his entire chest cavity was open, showing the inner workings of his body, organs and machines all meshed together in a complex mess. It was like being awake for a dissection he could feel or move away from but the tune-ups were necessary every once and a while. He hadn't really had one in over four years as it were.

Genji turned his head as the door hissed open, Soldier 76 coming in, his shoulders tensed, “I think keeping me out of action for a week is unnecessary,” the older soldier growled out to Mercy, pausing to watch some as the chest cavity was removed, “Is he okay?”

“Just getting cleaned out for being dumb and ignoring the doctors orders,” Genji assured him, giving a slight smile, “So I say if she says you are out for a week, you stay out,”

The vigilante gave a slight growl, “It was just a slight knock to the head,”

“It is a concussion and I want at least a week of observation and slowly easing you back into daily routines before I clear you for any sort of active duty sir,” Mercy answered, “Especially at your age. You need to take better care of yourself,”

Soldier 76 took a seat, crossing his arms as he watched the robotic arms descended and start to section off parts of the intake system that was worked around remnants of organs, supported now by robotic components, “Talon isn't going to wait a week,”

“We can keep them on their toes still,” Genji replied, “Tracer, myself, and McCree can still move. Winston too. Heck, even Hanzo if he sticks around, not to mention we got Reaper actually helping us sort of. Can maybe use what he knows to figure out where they are hitting next,”

“Reaper,” Solider 76 drawled, the tone holding a small bit of contempt, “The one that has killed Overwatch agents? People he worked with before? Gabriel has made it clear where he stands on helping us,”

“Didn't kill you or leave you for dead with a head wound. He almost did, but didn't,” Genji retorted, giving a slight frown, “And he doesn't like to be called Gabriel Reyes anymore than you like to be called Jack Morrison,”

The soldier fell silent at the comment, his expression as unreadable as Reaper's own due to the mask he wore. Mercy had fallen silent as well, her eyes locked on the console she was working on while optimizing Genji's internal systems. The cyborg looked between the two of them, sensing the tension. Each were rather high on the list of people Reaper hated and each had their own secret, their own private guilt about whatever had become of Gabriel Reyes. Genji let out a sigh, letting his gaze return to the ceiling, “I feel like there are two elephants in the room right now, as the saying goes. Alone care to explain why Reaper probably uses your photos for target practice?”

“Its personal,” Soldier 76 responded gruffly, “and a long, long story,”

Mercy wasn't as quick to respond, biting her lip slightly as if debating if she should say anything or not, glancing down to Genji's face as he turned to look at her, “It is... a complicated story what happened to Reyes after we found him and attempt to save his life,”

Soldier 76 glanced up at her words, “What was done?”

Again she was quiet, watching carefully as the robotic arms began the cleansing process, flushing out the blockage in the intake sub-systems, “Something that was not the best choice but seemed logical at the time. A testing of an unstable procedure. We were losing him and it was the only thing on hand that could have been able to help but,” her voice trailed off, having grown softer with each word, “but it turned out to be a terrible miscalculation,”

The answer was vague and Genji felt a slight unnerving sensation. Mercy was kind, there was no doubt about that, and her passion for medicine was unrivaled, but that also left a darker side to her person. Not something terrible like she was cruel or enjoyed pain, but more that when it came to saving a life, sometimes she would take steps that strayed into territory that lay in the realm of unethical. Raising the dead through use of an untested method was not entirely out of her nature.

“What was done?” Solider 76 repeated more firmly, his tone getting a slightly agitated tinge, “This wasn't just turning him into a cyborg. He turns into mist. He passes through barriers like a ghost like some sort of magic,”

Mercy gave a soft sigh, looking up from her work briefly, “One of the Blackwatch sting operations uncovered a super nano-virus in the works in the facility of a now defunct terrorist organization. It was first slated to be destroyed but I vouched to have it studied instead in order to reverse engineer a cure in case other caches of the virus were made. It was,” she paused, dropping her gaze down, a slightly guilty look on her face, “ a very sophisticated nano-virus. The machine components were Omnic based and almost appeared to have a sentience or at least was marginally self aware. Although a cure was easily created, I began work on adapting the virus further to be used as a method to heal a person from the brink of death. It was still untested though but I was...I was so certain it could work, had to work”

“You used it on Reyes,” Soldier 76 said quietly.

The silence in the room was deafening, only broken by two softly spoken words, “I did,”

Nothing more was said, Soldier 76 falling into silence, arms crossed over his chest, his posture tense and it was hard to tell if he was upset with Mercy or perhaps with himself. Genji didn't know which. Mercy remained quiet, her expression sad, slightly pained by the memory of what she had done. There was more to say though. A lot more. Now though didn't seem like the time to press it but still, it did confirm what Reaper had alluded to with Mercy being responsible for what he was and the barest hint of how Reaper achieved his own abilities. 

“So what, is he some kind of virus now?” The vigilante spoke up, his tone far more gentle now.

“I am not certain. The behavior of the nanites that made up the virus had changed but he is more machine than organic, his body artificially kept alive by the nanites continuously regenerating and degenerating his body, as far as I can predict. I have not been close enough to confirm anything of Reaper's actual biology,” She explained in a soft tone.

“Probably won't ever be able to. He won't let anyone near him,” Genji spoke up, his gaze fixed on the ceiling again, “He really has a special hatred for you,”

Mercy gave a rueful, tired smile, “I wouldn't blame him at all for hating me for what I've done. I really just wanted to save him though. I did not do it out of spite and I still want to help him and try to perhaps stabilize him better,”

“Sometimes the people with the best intentions end up doing the worse things,” Solider 76 quietly said. The tiredness of his tone carried the weight of personal experience in each syllable, arousing Genji's curiosity to the bigger mysteries and questions that were unfolding now. 

There was too many secrets being kept. Too many people with personal sins and guilt trying to struggle on without coming to terms with the past. In all of them, he saw his brother, still trapped in the past and what they had done, unable to move on. He even saw himself a bit, although he carried no secrets, only personal demons that came with trying to survive in a world that saw him as an abomination. 

Genji watched as the robotic arms lifted out, one of them holding the Talon installed component and putting it into a quarantined box for further study before the process of closing Genji back up began. The Cyborg sighed some, turning his head to look at the two, “I'm keeping an eye on him so you two can sleep well. I don't think he really is going to go hunting you down, not unless prodded,”

Soldier 76 gave a small nod silently while Mercy offered a small smile, “You really are too good to me Genji, even if you don't listen to me about your health,” 

“You are not only a doctor, but a dear friend and someone whom I owe my life to. For you, I have no hate and I don't hate you for what you did. It was a mistake true, but there has to be a way we can make amends,” Genji offered a small smile as his chest cavity was put back into place, letting out a hiss as it was sealed and quarantine functions kicked in to flush out the air inside.

“You and him got a strange connection kid,” Soldier 76 spoke up, watching as Genji slowly sat up, flexing his fingers one by one, then the whole hand, then the rest, testing joint motions one by one as Mercy watched, making sure there were no errors or anything that looked off, “He seems to listen to you,”

“Don't ask me how or why, it is a long story that probably reads poorly,” Genji responded, shaking his head, “Just, I guess I can relate maybe to him? Or maybe I'm just so annoying I just keep him constantly off-balance and he has no reaction other than to do what I say?”

Soldier 76 gave a snort, “Well whatever it is, I think it is good for both of you, in a really messed up sort of way. I still can't completely trust someone who murders agents but for now, I guess we need to learn to tolerate him until his real motives are uncovered,”

“It isn't something I forgive him for either. I'm trying to understand why. I don't think it is for any sort of pleasure though,” Genji pursed his lips thoughtfully, “I feel knowing the reason, can at least see if there is something to redeem,”

The vigilante gave a nod as he got to his feet, earning a look from Mercy, eyeing him critically. He held up his hands at the doctor's look, “Just going to the mess hall to get some coffee. Not going to go do any sort of training or I swear you are going to tie me to the table,”

“She'll do it to. I've seen her do it,” Genji gave a chuckle as he stretched out more, feeling a little more nimble on his feet. He never knew how bad his systems were getting cluttered until after a good old optimizing, even if the process was still strange. 

“Off with both of you. I need to get to work still on analyzing this device,” she gave a not to the strange device that had been laced in Genji, “It isn't Talon's usual design but, there is something familiar about it. I need to make sure it isn't dangerous and then talk to Winston about what the intention of the device might have been. After though, we should really do lunch or dinner if you have the time Genji,”

“All I know is I feel dirty and like my privacy was invaded that they put something in me when I was out,” Genji muttered before giving a nod to Mercy, “And lunch or dinner sounds fine. We need to catch up better. I think we've only beeno n base together for at least an hour before something comes up,”

Mercy gave a quiet laugh, “With so few of us and being an unsanctified recall and having to hide from the world government on top of everything, does make for a busy life,”

“Just adds a bit more excitement to the new Overwatch, doesn't it?” Genji answered, giving a slight smile.

Soldier 76 just shook his head, “Only you would make light of such a thing. Glad to see your getting back to normal,”

“As normal as I get,” Genji gave a chuckle, giving a nod to the soldier who returned it before exiting the room. 

As Genji turned to follow, Mercy gave a soft cough, “Also, may I suggest if you are going to be...active, you should take special care to clean up-”

“Yes! Got it! Please lets not talk about this!I need to go I think heard Tracer calling me!” Genji quickly said, raising his voice before walking rather quickly out of the office.

He loved Mercy to bits as a dear, dear friend, but he did not want to have to get a lecture of safe sex procedures and care, again, from her. The first time had been a near death experience by embarrassment and that was not a process he intended to take part in again. 

Not to mention Reaper was not a patient and it wouldn't be long before he was probably on the prowl to make sure nothing happened to Genji. 

Genji let out a flush of steam before locking the valves on his shoulder and dashing down the hall, taking a corner quickly only to come to a halt as he ran into his own brother, nearly bowling Hanzo. The archer let out a grunt, stumbling a few paces forward and the force enough to knock some arrows out of the quiver.

Genji leapt back, holding up his hands as Hanzo gave him a withering look, “Sorry brother. Didn't see you there. I was just in a rush to escape an awkward lecture,”

Hanzo just eyed Genji some before crouching down to pick up the few arrows that had fallen from the quiver, examining each one before sliding them back in with a shake of his head, “Do I want to know?”

“No, no you don't,” Genji stood there, feeling like he should say more to his brother. In the past he would. In the past there was always more to say between them but now, now there seemed to be a wall, something that had grown between to the point it almost felt strange to talk.

Without the mission or a common goal, when left to simply consider small talk, the situation did not feel right anymore. It felt more like he was trying to strike up conversation with a total stranger. 

“Where is your friend?” Hanzo asked, the question coming out a bit forced as just something to say to break the silence. 

“In my room. He doesn't like being around others,” Genji could see Hanzo's unimpressed look creeping in, causing Genji to stiffen just a bit defensively, “Its my personal life,”

Hanzo frowned, “I did not say anything about your personal life, only that you two do not seem to be dating-”

“You don't know that,” Genji interjected, “We could be dating,”

The elder Shimada tilted his head, the frown still in place, “So he is your boyfriend?”

Genji let out a frustrated sigh, “Not my boyfriend, its complicated. He's like...you know... look lets just say I'm not going to put a label to whatever we have,”

“Fine, but that seems like it is just going to cause trouble,” Hanzo argued, crossing his arms, “From what your friends say, he is not quiet right in the head,”

Genji gave a slight sneer, put on the defensive more. He knew his brother probably meant well but the sting of earlier, of the fact he put others before his own brother, that he didn't even try to offer up any sort of comfort, was still a rather open wound that was starting to sting worse now, “Like you know best. You are three years older than me, not three decades older,”

“I think I can tell when-” Hanzo began, eyes narrowed only for Genji to step forward, an aggressive set to his shoulder.

“You couldn't even tell when I needed a brother to help me, not a clan leader. You couldn't even tell me that I was in any sort of trouble before you decided I was too much of a problem for your little empire,” Genji interrupted, his words barbed. 

Hanzo flinched some, although the fury in his gaze still lingered, “You knew what was going to happen, Genji. You knew. I gave you warning about your actions. We could have been so much more and raised our clan further but you chose to squander everything away,” 

“Maybe, maybe I did but that had always been your dream not mine. You never did take the time to know me if you thought for a minute I would ever become what you were, what our parents wanted me to be,” Genji felt that anger welling up, the same anger that was there the night they had their lethal duel. 

He had thought he had put those feelings aside and forgiven Hanzo. He had in many respects within his heart. He could bring no harm to his brother, he did not seek any vengeance now, but that small, awful desire to cause his brother some pain to justify the pain he felt, would not go away. It was a selfish desire to inflict hurt for the sake of knowing someone else hurt just as much from an action as he did. 

Hanzo was silent, some of that anger starting to bleed off, replaced by a tired almost sorrowful look. He turned away, “That was the past and much has changed, but if I did not know you then, then I stil don't know you now either. The only difference now is you no longer feel like my brother. You no longer feel like the Genji I remember,”

Those words stung but Genji didn't turn away as Hanzo continued to speak, his tone tired, broken some as he slipped into their native language to try and express things more clearly, “When we met this second time, I did want to see you. I wanted to understand you Genji. Perhaps it is that foolish desire to hold onto what we once had, for how terrible it did end, there was so much good as well. There were many good memories that I can't let go. I cannot see the Genji in my memories as who you are now,”

“There were many good memories,” Genji agreed quietly, “But it does not change what happened nor does it change what has become of things now,”

“It would be easier to just continue to think you are dead,” Hanzo's tone was so quiet, refusing to look at Genji, “It would be easier to simply undo our meetings these past months,”

The pain was there again. The good feelings from earlier, the confidence he had started to build again about his place in life began to break down again as he stared hard at the floor, “Is it because of what I am now that you feel this way? Was it easier to pretend you cared earlier?”

“It is not that, Genji it is,” Hanzo looked up, his gaze fixed on the far wall, “It is not you. I can't let go of what I've done. I can't let go of the Genji I knew and move pass things. You speak of hope for me, but what hope is there when I'll always be standing with one foot in the past?”

“You mean you can't let go of the Genji you wanted but did not get. You can't let go of the Genji who acted just how you wanted and died just how you intended,” Genji spat venomously, pushing passed his brother, “I guess I was a waste of your time then,”

“You were never a waste of my time Genji. You were my brother,” Hanzo's words did nothing to sooth the hurt though.

A bitter laugh escaped Genji, “Were. I was your brother but not anymore apparently,” without another word or look towards Hanzo, the hurt welling up, tearing away inside of him, he headed back to his room. Hanzo didn't call out or apologize. He stood there staring off, his expression unreadable but he didn't call out. The hurt just grew more poignant as Genji's pace increased. He arrived at his room quickly punching in the code and coming in, trying to keep his composure with a cold mask of indifference. 

Reaper had moved from his position, fiddling around on his cellphone with a bored slump to his frame. When the door opened, he lifting his head only slightly when Genji came in before sitting up straight as he caught the expression on the cyborg's face. He didn't say a word, Reaper never was one to ask what was wrong. 

He didn't bother to ask when he already knew.

He rose to his feet, coming over to Genji, not hesitating to put both hands on his shoulders, leaning in some, a silent request. Genji gave his answer by stepping in closer, burying his face against Reaper's chest, hands clenched at his side tightly. Reaper didn't pull away, letting Genji press against him, tilting his head some.

“Give me a few minutes,” Genji murmured, “Give me a few minutes and I'll be okay again,”

“You won't be,” Reaper responded, earning a bitter laugh from Genji.

“Maybe not no, but I can pretend again. Get my head on straight for the missions ahead. Just get through it all,” He gritted his teeth some, “Have you ever felt abandoned by someone you gave so much to, cared so much about, but in the end, it was only you who ever cared?”

Reaper was silently as always, just holding Genji as he kept his face hidden, not wanting to be seen. Not wanting anyone to see just how hard those words from his brother had cut into him. Hanzo might as well have killed him again and yet despite the hurt, all he wanted was some sign that he and his brother could re-counsel completely without either of them having to destroy who they were. 

He just wanted that little bit of his family back. 

 

“Yes,” Reaper finally said at length but did not say anything further, didn't tell of his experience or ask Genji what happened.

That sort of hurt didn't need to be told in words. 

Genji took a shaky breath, “I don't think we will need to get moving right away. Not with most of us needing time to recover and Mercy and Winston doing some digging for information. I want to...I want to find master Zenyatta,” 

“Fine,” Reaper murmured, “Where do we find them?”

“ I'll try to get in contact with him,” Genji felt a small smile and a small bit of warmth. 

There was no hesitation to Reaper's words or actions. He had made it clear where Genji was going, he was going. They both needed to get away from this place, Genji to clear his mind again and speak with a dear friend who had saved him emotionally once and Reaper to get away from a past that was too filled with hatred and complications to completely come to terms with yet. Genji was more than certain that spending too much time here would wear down on the small bit of self control Reaper was showing in refraining from killing certain people. 

The cyborg pulled away some, looking up at the mercenary, “Zenyatta is an Omnic monk, just to give fair warning. I don't know your feelings entirely on Omnics, but feel it is right just the same to tell you,”

Reaper just gave a grunt of acknowledgment but Genji could sense the irritation. Clearly omnics were also on the long list of things Reaper hated but would at least tolerate for now. That just earned another slight smile from Genji, “Afterwards, I promise we can do something you like since I make you put up with so much. Go adopt some cats? Go shopping? I don't know if you like to shop but can just maybe go walking through the mall. Or go to the park. We will be in Nepal but China is close by and heard the Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner and-” 

Reaper raised a hand to put a finger to Genji's lip, tilting his head to stop the cyborg from talking, “You talk to much,”

Genji gave a snort, “And you don't talk enough so I have to talk for the both of us,”

“If you say so,” Reaper drawled, moving to step towards the door.

Genji moved to pick up his mask, sliding it back into place with a hiss before picking up his cellphone to send a message to Zenyatta to find out where the monk was. It would be a short visit, just a talk to help clear his mind and try to find a way to let go of the pain Hanzo's words had caused or find a way to negotiate the situation to a better conclusion than to remain forever estranged. 

As the screen blinked on, Genji paused as he got the message he sent from Reaper's phone to his own. Still just a number and not yet an assigned contact. With a click, Genji began the process of saving the number to his contacts, pausing at what to put as a name. 

Reaper seemed to impersonal a name to put in, but no words really came to mind that seemed to fit as a proper nickname. Nothing witty his mind came up seemed to ring just right. Genji glanced up at Reaper who just stared back silently, giving a questioning tilt to his head as he crossed his arms. A small smile crept across Genji's face, hidden by the mask he wore now. 

There were no words needed. All that was needed was a simple, soundless, silent “<3” to name Reaper's number. 

A silent reassurance that couldn't be uttered but beyond a doubt cared. 

Genji carefully saved the new contact to his phone before scrolling to pit out Zenyatta's message to get in contact with the monk. 

Already Genji was looking forward to this brief reprise to make this small trip.


	6. Heist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write at points but when editing it, actually had a really good pacing, better than I realized c: A LOT of McCree in this chapter! Also lots of Genji/Zenyatta friendship because I love them as friends and just love writing Zenyatta in general c:
> 
> An action chapter with some fluff but not heavy on any sort of angst <3 
> 
> Enjoy!!

Chapter Six: Heist 

The city was covered in flowering trees and Genji could only imagine how beautiful it probably had been when the spring bloom was in full swing. Now though, the leafy heads of the trees danced in a gentle wind, creating a mosaic of sunlight on the sidewalk while also covering the long pathways in a blissfully cooler shade throughout the city for the bustling inhabitants. With such a greenery and slow pace of living, it was really no wonder Zenyatta had stopped in this city for his meditations. It was more or less a small oasis of a city surrounded by desert, a tranquil eye in an unforgiving landscape.

Genji moved along the path, feeling a little more at peace already in the green tunnels of the canopy above as he approached the monastery sitting at the edge of the city. It was a fair hike, that was for sure halfway up a mountain with a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and the desert beyond the small verdant paradise. There was no sounds up here but the tinkle of the chimes hung in some of the trees along the path. 

“It is a beautiful city, is it not?” Genji remarked, pausing as they reached the top of another flight of stone stairs, looking out at the view. 

Reaper just turned to follow Genji's gaze, giving a shrug and some sort of noncommittal noise that might have been an agreement or perhaps finding fault with Genji's statement. Vague as always, the mercenary just turned back, looking up towards the monastery, “Why did they put it at the top of a mountain?”

“For the peace and tranquility. It is a reclusive place, a place to escape society to meditate and pay respects,” Genji explained, “Also tourists won't come up here which usually means that the monks and devotees of the faith don't have to have outsiders gawking at the idols and taking pictures,”

The mercenary gave a slight nod, following Genji as the cyborg continued to make his way up the stairs, “And your friend is here because....?” he trailed off, giving a tilt of his head inquisitively.

“Guidance of those who were passing through as well as talking to other monks to gain deeper insight as he creates his own path and teachings,” Genji said as he continued up the stairs, taking two at a time in a bit of a rush to see his dear friend again, “H is a teacher after all. He has left the Shambali and their teachings, but in doing so, is finding his own school and own path to enlightened thought,”

“Ah,” Reaper murmured, crossing his arms, “Should I wait outside then?”

Genji paused at a landing between flights of stairs, tilting his head to think before shaking his head,”No, you can come into the temple grounds just as long as you are respectful. This is a place of retreat for any mind. Besides, I doubt you are going to take pictures of sacred idols or the rituals without permission,”

Reaper gave a snort at the idea which brought a smile to Genji's face although it was hidden by the mask as he finally reached the final landing with only a short flight of stairs left to the open gates of the temple. It was an older building although still kept in loving condition by the monks who lived here. It was a small commune of human practitioners of Buddhism and already Genji could smell the familiar scent of smoke from burning incense being placed at the altars at the center courtyard by the few followers of the faith passing through to pay their respects. 

Genji paused to take in the tranquility of the temple, heaving a contented sigh. Of course there were the usual looks but they were not hostile and only a passing curiosity of those there. The woman at the gate selling the religious wares was more than willing to offer a smile and gesture to the assortment of items for sale, in particular prayer beads and higher quality incense to bring to the altar. 

The cyborg moved across the way to one of the monks, giving a respectful bow, “Excuse me, but I am looking for master Tekhartha Zenyatta,”

The monk gave a nod and a small smile, “Genji Shimada I assume? We've been expecting you. Master Tekhartha had said he was expecting a dear friend,” he glanced to Reaper who had wandered off a way, leaning on the railing, “And your friend...?”

“He is here as one who keeps to his mind seeking his own peace of mind as well, in his own way, and will not bother anyone if left alone,” Genji answered gently, “He is a troubled mind about his inner self,”

“I see,” The monk gave a nod before turning his attention back to Genji, “We will be holding lunch soon followed by the mid-day rituals if you would like to take part,”

“It would be an honor, venerable one,” Geni responded, giving another bow which was returned before the monk turned to lead the way. 

Genji gave a wave to Reaper who glanced his way when he started to leave, “I'll be back in a bit. Don't get too bored, yes?”

The only response was a one arm shrugged as the mercenary went back to staring off over the scenery from the pavilion before starting to slink off more towards the gardens of the monastery. Genji just gave a faint smile. Reaper's behavior made Genji think of a cat checking out a new area with how he seemed to want to keep out of everyone's view as he moved. Hopefully later Reaper would be still in a more placid mood when he met Zenyatta. 

The monk lead Genji through the living quarters of the monastery, passing the other inhabitants in their own meditations or cleaning the grounds with a clear sense of routine. It was all a part of living a life that centered on finding inner peace and harmony. The rituals, be it meditation or cleaning, prayer or pilgrimage, were important in establishing a personal path on the path to enlightened thought and Genji felt just a tinge of guilt at his own negligence of late to keeping to such routines. With everything that had gone on, it had been hard to even get a moment to breath, let alone a moment to meditate or simply clean the base as he was prone to do now. Honestly he didn't mind cleaning the base and in fact, often had company in one of the other Overwatch agents. It was a good time to talk about just about anything while feeling a bit of accomplishment at handling such a small task. 

Genji made a mental note to pick up his routines again, perhaps even rope Reaper into helping. Part of the journey to enlightenment, after all, was sharing it with others. Especially according to Zenyatta's unique teachings. No doubt Reaper was going to put up a grudging silent protest about doing any sort of manual labor that involved cleaning the base or perhaps not. It was always hard to tell with Reaper. 

The monk came to a quiet corner of the monastery off to the side of the living quarters, a small pavilion that extend out over the valley with the best view of the city. At the door, Genji's guide gave a respectful bow, gesturing to the omnic that floated at the center of the room with his back to the door. Genji gave a silent nod of thanks before entering, feeling his steps already becoming lighter, “Zenyatta, it has been far too long,” 

The omnic gave a small, warm chuckle, turning around in midair,legs still folded in a meditative pose, “It has been a while, Genji. It is good to see you and to see you in such good health,”

Genji gave a faint laugh as he reached up to remove his mask, “Physically I am well, but perhaps my mental or emotional health are not as they should be, master,”

“Oh? What is troubling you?” Zenyatta asked, gesturing for Genji to take a seat next to him.

Carefully the cyborg lowered himself to the mat beside Zenyatta, folding his legs as if he was preparing to meditate, hands on his knees as he took a deep breath to steady himself and to clear his thoughts some to focus on what was weighing on him so heavily, “I've been neglectful of your advice for one thing, in terms of meditation and keeping a routine of things. It has been stressful with my talents being required more and more for the fight with Talon, now more so than ever. That isn't to say I dislike the work, I have a few stories I will have to share to your amusement, but still, it has brought new stresses that were unforeseen,” 

“There is no harm in focusing on other things, my pupil,” Zenyatta assured, reaching out to put a hand gently on his friend's shoulder, “This is the path you chose and there is going to be change. No two paths are exactly alike,”

“Perhaps too much change at once,” Genji heaved a small sigh, looking down at the ground, “I've become entangled again with my past. I am once more near my brother but it is if I am near a stranger and it has been,”he paused, trying to search out the right way to phrase it, “been difficult. I know that what I desire is his acceptance again that even after all these years and all that has happened, I still desire some approval, some small sign that he still sees me as someone he is proud to call brother,”

Genji paused again and Zenyatta remained silent as Genji's gaze grew hard, “And I feel like the only option now is to just simply cut him off, just like that. Like there is no reason to talk anymore, nothing to say. To just end it on a good note seems like it is destroying something forever that I do not want to lose,”

He looked over to the omnic, the robot nodding solemnly, carefully folding his hands in his lap, “This is indeed a difficult situation to handle and to handle it alone, I am proud you've kept strong through this time,”

“I haven't been completely alone,” Genji admitted, turning away to look out at the peaceful view, the only sound his voice in the quiet tranquility, “I have met someone who, in his own way, shares my feelings yet struggles worse than I with coming to terms with many things,”

“Ah, another struggling soul. It is often we tend to gravitate to those we feel can understand what we feel and to share the pain. I think the saying goes misery loves its company? However there is a danger in that my student,” Zenyatta cautioned, “Sometimes our desire to help can become destructive if we push too hard to help and pressure people to go further than they would like or need to go,”

Genji gave a slight nod although he frowned some in thought, “I understand this yes but I do want to help him as he has helped me. Is it wrong to want to return the favor as it were?”

Zenyatta shook his head, “No, it is not wrong but wanting too much, it could become a desire and that in turn can lead to more pain. You are my best student though, and you are my elder, and in that, there are many things you will understand better in terms of the path we walk,”

A small smile tugged at the corner of Genji's mouth, “You honor me far too much, master,”

That earned a small chuckle from Zenyatta, “I honor you how you should be honored! You are not just a student, but a friend, and also my teacher,” he reached out to pat Genji's shoulder, “There are still so many things I haven't considered in my meditations, things I am not familiar with or do not entirely understand as you do. Right now I feel there is more inside you struggle with, that there is pain I cannot understand or advice about as it is not an experience I have or could ever have,”

“There is much to say about pain yes,” Genji murmured, “Speaking to you as a student, I would say it is a passing thing, something I could work out. But speaking to you as a friend,” He looked up, his expression tired, “I've been forced to face that no matter how I accept myself, those that love me may not and that those I wish to save may choose death rather than my aid for the simple fact I am not as human as they would like to see,”

Zenyatta was quiet before he moved to sit in front of Genji, gentle taking the hands of his friend in his own, “Tell me everything Genji,”

There was always something about Zenyatta. Perhaps it was his kind gentle tone or how he always seemed so serene and untroubled by the world, a truly enlightened being that had killed so much of the desire in his soul. That way he made friends so easily and seemed to have a love for all living things that could not be limited to one view or consideration and his mind, always aching to learn more to meditate on the new path he was forging. No doubt in many years, Zenyatta would have his own monastery and monks, creating a new branch of his faith to bless onto the world. Whatever it was about the omnic monk, Genji found himself, slowly at first, relating all that had happen. Soon it was coming out in a rush of emotions as he gripped Zenyatta's hands tighter and tighter like a lifeline in the torrent of his emotions. 

The mercenary. The failed mission. The secrets all around him. His brother's apparent indifference. The looks he was given. The feelings he couldn't quiet define in regards to Reaper and questioning if those feelings were even right to have given the crimes the mercenary had done. 

All these troubles that weighed down at him came crashing out in the presence of his friend, of the one who had saved him from a life of bitterness and self-hate for what he had become. Zenyatta remained quiet, not saying a word, not interrupting as he listened carefully to each confession of Genji's troubled soul, continuing to hold his hands just as firmly. By the end of it all, as the last word tumbled out, Genji was shaking, feeling emotionally drained and wanting to cry but being unable to shed tears anymore, he merely shook, biting back the dry heaves that wanted to work their way out.

Zenyatta didn't let go of his hands, lifting them up some as he leaned in to look at his friend's face, “You've carried a heavy burden on your heart, my friend. You have come a long way though and have not lost your path or your way. If anything, I think you've come to a point where there are many paths to take but you are not sure which one is right for you,”

“Maybe,” Genji managed out, “I feel very lost master. That is why I came to you, to try and find my way again. I do not agree that I haven't lost the path when I desire so much now,”

“Your desires are not selfish and are born of a very human need for comfort and acceptance. Although my compatriots might say that those things should be overcome with meditation, I have a different idea of the matter,” The omnic monk slowly let go of Genji's hands, moving to put them lightly on his shoulders, “You and your brother, I sincerely believe, need each other to heal. It hurts now, but I think with time, with patience, the two of you will find a balance again. For now, things are still too fresh and too new. It is easy to focus on that raw feeling of betrayal and guilt. You must ease yourself into each confrontation and not seek to rediscover the past, but to forge a new brotherhood,”

Genji gave a small nod, “Then, master, what is your suggestion to better prepare myself to better heal the destruction between myself and Hanzo?”

“You must meditate on the words you want to say, must say to him, and let him hear those words, sincerely, even if they might be painful to admit,” Zenyatta began, “But before that, you must learn to love yourself completely once more and in that regards, I think you need your lover,”

Genji choked some as the omnic monk tilted his head in confusion, “Did I say something wrong?”

“I... he.....Reaper and I aren't lovers,” Genji finally managed out, his voice a stutter of embarrassment, “I mean, yes I care, a great deal and enjoy his company but I. I don't know,”

Zenyatta gave a quiet chuckle, patting Genji on the head as a parent would do for a flustered child, “I think what you two have, by the sounds of it, is good for both of you if you allow it to grow. You need answers and those answers in term will help your friend find his own peace in time. Hatred is a powerful emotion, but it is so easily defused when faced with truth. The way you described it though, I thought you two were dating and lovers, perhaps on the path to engagement,” the way Zenyatta said the word engagement was so filled with interest, the monk leaning forward as if eager to hear that this was confirmed. Genji was thankful, once more, for his inability to blush for he was sure his face would be redder than the sun on the flag of his country. 

“No, we aren't. It is complicated really,” Genji let out a soft sigh, a small, tired smile on his face, “Is it that obvious master that I'm endeared by him?”

“Not obvious that you are endeared by him, I think you love him,” Zenyatta corrected, lifting a single finger to cut off the sputtered protest from Genji, “I may be younger than you and may not care for an exclusive romantic relationship as you do, but that isn't to say I don't know love when I perceive it, my student or cannot appreciate the beauty of unfolding romance in all its complexities,”

Genji let out a soft groan, covering his face, “You are making me sound like a lovesick schoolboy in one of those cartoons I used to watch as a child,” he said, his voice muffled by his hands. 

Zenyatta gave a chuckle and a playful nudge to Genji, “You should tell him how you feel,”

“If I told him how I felt he would probably shoot me. Then run away. Maybe both at the same time,” Genji murmured, “I'm not ready, not yet. I don't know him yet,”

“You don't do you?” Zenyatta asked, amusement in his voice, “Then what is it you need to know,”

“I need to know his story,” Genji lowered his hands, “I need to know his past that is still haunting him. I want to help him like you helped me. Perhaps I'm being just as annoying and stubborn as you were when we first met,”

That earned another chuckle from the monk, “Like teacher like student I suppose. We've come a long way since you trying to angrily kill me,”

The statement gave Genji pause for a moment, his expression thoughtful. That was true. When Zenyatta had first approached him, Genji was a bit ashamed to admit he had tried to cut up the omnic monk and had been very rude and somewhat cruel with his words, so great was his own inner turmoil. Yet Zenyatta had persisted and here they were now, the past forgiven.

It was strange to see almost a similarity in the first meeting between himself and Zenyatta and himself and Reaper. Both meetings had started with violence before becoming something so much more. He couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of hope now. History repeated true, but sometimes that repetition was a positive aspect. 

“We have and as always, you put me completely at ease and give me things to think upon,” Genji gave a chuckle, shaking his head.

“It is my pleasure. You have also given me something to think about. Every time we speak you grow wiser and more calm and I see you taking more and more pride in yourself. It gladdens me,” Zenyatta's words made Genji duck his head, trying to fight that pleased smile that wanted to bloom across his face, trying to keep somewhat as serene as Zenyatta although that smile dropped just at quickly at Zenyatta's next words, followed with Genji burying his face in his hands out of embarrassment, “But while you are here, you should really introduce me to your life partner,”

“Life partner is not it either. We aren't married!” Genji groaned, “Don't call him my husband either bcause that is just as bad,”

“What should I refer to him then as? You are so dodgy about the question. Maybe I should ask him,” Zenyatta offered, starting to float towards the door, folding his hands in his lap, “As a teacher, I feel it is only right to see whom my student has taken an interest in. Perhaps I can inquire to his birthday and time of birth to see if it matches your star charts for a compatibility chart. In Nepal, such practices are very common between prospective couples,”

Genji got to his feet, moving to walk alongside his master, shaking his head, “Don't ask him please. He's just starting to realize how to joke and I'm pretty sure he might say something back that will make me want to throw myself off the balcony in embarrassment,”

“So bashful Genji. You really are smitten!” Zenyatta teased just earning a look from Genji, “But I will refrain to make sure you have no need to go jumping out windows,” 

“Truly you are such a kind friend,” Genji drawled some, a slight smile tugging at his lips, “I will introduce you to him but don't expect a warm welcome. He doesn't like Omnics it seems but then, don't take it personally as I'm pretty sure there are few things he likes,” Genji explained as they moved down the hallway.

The omnic monk nodded, “I got that impression by the way you spoke of him but I think I know one thing he likes from your account?”

Genji tilted his head some, curious as to what insight his master had gleamed, “What would that be?”

If Zenyatta could smirk, Genji was sure his master would have had the biggest one by the tone of his voice, “You of course,”

A groan escaped the cyborg as he covered his face with one hand to the chuckles of his friend as they stepped out into the gardens, “You are being so cruel master,”

“A bit of teasing between friends never hurt anyone,” Zenyatta remarked, “I do it because I honestly do care and perhaps in my own way am trying to push you in the right direction,” 

“I think you are trying to push me right up to the altar,” Genji responded, although he gave a slight smile, “If it...comes to that I'll make sure you are the first to know,”

“That is the most I can ask for,” Zenyatta gave a chuckle, pausing as his attention was caught on a figure far ahead at the edge of the garden, “is that your friend?”

Reaper was sitting on a bench at the edge of the large koi pond, one of the cats kept on the property curled up in his lap being patted absently with one hand by the mercenary. Even with the dark clothing and skull mask, he looked almost peaceful, relaxed at the very least as he minded his own business as he waited for Genji. Genji couldn't help the soft smile that came to his face and that sense of strange ease that came with seeing Reaper was doing fine. 

Zenyatta glanced to Genji, giving a chuckle and shaking his head, before regarding Reaper more curiously raising a hand to his chin thoughtfully, “A troubled mind. Many troubled minds I would say. Curious. How curious,”

“Curious?” Genji asked, glancing to his master as they moved closer.

“Omnics have a limited ability to pick up on one another, a trait that made it easier to organize and the like,” he paused, tilting his head in contemplation before speaking again, “ I almost feel like I can hear the static of many voices all talking at once, all in perfect agreement as if one entity,” The monk murmured, “But perhaps I am simply picking up on a few omnic monks here in prayer,”

Genji gave a small nod, his expression thoughtfully, “Maybe,”

He hadn't told Zenyatta about what Reaper may be as that seemed like a private fact of Reaper's life and even then, Mercy had not been clear on the exact details of what part the nanovirus actually played in Gabriel's reincarnation. It seemed best not to spread rumors before anything was confirmed, at least that is how Genji saw it.

The mercenary looked up now watching them with a clear tension to his posture. Genji offered a smile, trying to offer some comfort as he gestured to Zenyatta, “This is my friend and master, the one I have told you about, Zenyatta. Zenyatta, Reaper,”

“It is an honor to meet you,” Zenyatta gave a respectful bow of his head, bringing his hands together, “I also want to sincerely thank you for helping to save my brightest student. I know he can be a handful and get himself into trouble,” he said, giving a turn of his towards Genji who just gave a shrug but did not deny Zenyatta's words. 

Reaper just stared silently, both hands dropping to his side which caused the cat to let out a meow of protest, looking up at the mercenary still expecting pets, and seeing there was no more to be had, curled up in his lap, little claws scratching at Reaper's legs. Zenyatta patiently folded his hands to wait for a response while Genji glanced to Reaper again. Reaper could probably go the entire day without saying something or just get up or leave. It was a fool's errand to try and out wait Reaper in terms of getting an answer. The cyborg moved to sit down next to Reaper, giving a small nudge, “Can you at least say hello to me or do I get the silent stare too?”

The answer came in Reaper simply turning to stare at Genji, slouching forward as he crossed his arms, as if he wasn't going to say anything before giving the barest, growliest, angriest “hello,” to ever be uttered. Genji just shook his head, leaning against Reaper's shoulder, crossing his arms and giving him an unimpressed look, “Do we have to go through this everytime we meet someone new? Have to play up the 'I'm going to murder all of you' image?”

“Yes,” Reaper responded bluntly, eyeing Zenyatta as the monk regarded the two of them, not at all phased by the look which seemed to only aggravate Reaper a little further. 

“Well I'm sure you very well could do us all harm but I am certainty glad you don't,” Zenyatta cheerfully put in, “Ah, but where are my manners? We should go out into the city to a nice restaurant to partake of local cuisine while you are here. Would be a shame to deny you the chance to try dishes unique to the city. I am told the great pleasure in tourism is the exotic foods,”

“I don't eat,” Reaper growled out, his posture tensing up even more. 

“Oh? A pity. I always do like seeing the colorful dishes and inquiring about the taste,” Zenyatta let out a sigh, “But we can still take a walk, get to know each other yes? I am interested in learning about you and getting insight that you may offer. Your mannerism and character seem to point towards having different views than my own in the world, a different point of view to consider,”

Reaper leaned back some,his posture a little wary but the slight surprise that anyone would want his insight at all seemed to put him a bit off guard. Genji gave a nudge and a small smile, “I think the three of us should go for a walk. Get some fresh air. Discuss the meaning of life itself or perhaps something a simple as what is the sound of one hand clapping,”

The mercenary just looked between the two before giving a dismissive snort, “Whatever,”

That was pretty much a yes in the language of Reaper and Genji leaned over to press a surprise kiss to the cheek of his mask, “Thank you Reaper,”

The action had the mercenary jolting some, not having expected it and turning to stare at Genji even more turning away as he got slowly to his feet, giving the cat on his lap enough time to jump to the floor. He didn't really answer, giving a grumbled response in a language Genji wasn't familiar with, although it sounded like it could have been Spanish.

Genji rose to his feet as well, turning to his master, “Any places in particular of interest then? I do not know the city well,”

“I've been told of this lovely tea house by the park. Perhaps they have some tables to play a round of fight the landlord. It has been a while since I've had a good game of that!” Zenyetta offered. 

“Ah, fight the landlord, card game of kings. I've lost a lot of money to that game,” Genji gave a chuckle, looking to Reaper, “Do you know it?”

The long stare and tension he had in his shoulders made it clear enough he didn't know but didn't want to admit to any sort of ignorance, “I'll teach you the basics,” Genji whispered, giving a nudge that only earned another low growl. He gave a quiet laugh as he slipped his mask back on, a hiss of air escaping as it locked into place. 

The walk down from the monastery seemed to go faster than the hike up. Zenyatta was in a good mood, chatting away while Reaper remained silent as ever, following behind and more than happy to listen or at least appearing to listen while he tuned out completely. However as they made their way towards the park, Genji noticed out of the corner of his eye that Reaper was getting more agitated, not quiet looking around but seeming to focus on spots, sometimes even pausing to stare and if his face could be seen, Genji was sure his eyes would be narrowed. 

Reaper was trying to pinpoint something and every step seemed to just make it more obvious the mercenary was on high alert, his hands playing along the handle of both guns now. That also sort of made it obvious he was visibly armed and Genji wasn't sure that was going to end well for anyone if someone saw. He glanced over his shoulder to Reaper, arching an eyebrow from behind his mask, “Is there something wrong?”

“We are being followed,” Reaper stated bluntly, turning his head to gaze back the way they came.

Genji tensed, looking back as well before looking to Zenyatta who tilted his head in a contemplative fashion at the news, “Who do you think it is?” Genji asked quietly.

Reaper just remained silent, making as if to turn to address Genji and Zenyatta more fully before turning quickly, a gun drawn and firing into a copse of bushes. There was a stirring of someone jumping back and a string of muffled curses as the Reaper kept his gun locked on the spot, “I don't have to miss. Get out of the bushes brat,”

There was silence for a moment before slowly, McCree stood up, one hand holding his hat, the other moving to take the cigar from between his hips as he grimaced, “Should I ask what gave me away?”

“I can smell your cigars from a mile away,” Reaper growled, lowering his gun.

Genji just gave a bewildered look, crossing his arms, “Why are you following us like that anyways? You know you can say hello and join us for a walk,”

“Would be more comfortable no doubt than hiding in brambles,” Zenyatta added with a nod as the cowboy shuffled out of the pushes, pulling his poncho free of a few tangled branches, “Unless that is some strange organic habit,”

“Yeah well, I wasn't meant to be seen. Looks like I'm a bit rusty from the blackwatch days in terms of trailing someone,” McCree responded, taking a long drag from his cigar.

Reaper gave a snort, “You never were good at it then. Everything I tried to teach you went in one ear, and out the other empty side,” he drawled. 

McCree just gave a withering look to the mercenary, blowing out a cloud of smoke as Genji looked between them, noting the clear hostility. Of course Jessie McCree wasn't the kind of man to show his anger with glares or open threats. He had always been a rather cool minded sort, prone to smile more when riled up or to seem as placid as a lake in a lazy summer heat. Underneath the surface though there was a minefield of hurt waiting to be unleashed and right now, Genji could sense McCree was itching to take a few swings at Reaper. 

That hostility though made it perfectly clear why McCree was here at all.

“You were following us because everyone is afraid Reaper is up to something,” Genji said flatly, “You are keeping out of sight because we are being observed like we are off to go plan a terrorist attack. I went to see Zenyatta! Does Zenyatta look like the type to want to plan mass mayhem,”

Zenyatta folded his hands in his lap, tilting his head, “Being I am an omnic, despite my personal beliefs, I think most people would answer that question with yes, I most certainty do look like I might cause terrible mischief,”

McCree gave a light chuckle at at the comment as Genji turned to regard his friend, slumping his shoulders, “I'm trying to make a point Zenyatta,”

“So am I,” Zenyatta responded, “Don't be quick to say I cannot cause trouble for you never know,”

Genji let out a sigh, turning away from the monk, “Remind me to watch my back then as it seems you might be planning something,” sometimes it was easy to forget that gentle Zenyatta could be a rather competent prankster when he was in a mood for mischief. Probably why he always got away with his small, victim less pranks was because he could easily play it off as he had done nothing at all. 

“How did you even track us here? I didn't tell anyone where I was going specifically,” Genji asked, crossing his arms, “Just I was going to see Zenyatta at a monastery,”

McCree took another drag of the half smoked cigar before dropping it to the ground as he blew out a cloud of smoke, grinding the remnants of the cigar under his boot, “Just was testing out the new tracker on your communication relay,” He held up both hands as Genji's shoulders hunched forward in obvious displeasure, “We all got it installed now. After you vanished,we figured it was best to have some sort of tracker so we can locate agents in the field in case we need to rescue em,”

Begrudgingly, Genji gave a slow nod of agreement. It made sense, of course, but at the same time, it still had been used to track him without being told and he knew it was for the express reason that they were keeping tabs on Reaper, “Yeah well, don't use it to stalk me through the bushes? If you want to keep an eye on Reaper, he's more than happy to have you just glare at him in the open,”

Reaper just leaned against the trunk of one of the trees lining the particular street they were on, arms crossed as he just eyed McCree who just continued to eye him back, “Forgive me if I don't want someone who tried to murder me twice being able to keep me in his sights,” McCree drawled.

“I don't have to keep you in my sights. I can smell you easily enough,” Reaper commented, “I always told you not to smoke on the job,”

“Yeah well, like you said, in one ear, out the other, just like most of the bullshit training you always gave,” McCree retorted. 

Reaper straightened up, looking like he was about to make it three times he had attempted to kill McCree only for Zenyatta to step in, well, float in between them, rather casually, hands still folded, “My, my you are all hot under the collar today and I do not believe it to be the work of the weather,” he said, his voice calm as ever, “May I suggest a game of cards or mahjong to help alleviate these tensions? A little bit of friendly competition may do us all good,”

“I doubt some card game is going to resolve anything,” McCree growled, putting a hand to his hat. 

Zenyatta gave a hum, clearly having expected that answer and Genji felt a surge of curiosity come up as he saw his master tilt his head towards him, with a flash of a thumbs up to his student before he lifted a hand to point across the small man-made river bordering the road they walked on to the right, “Then, perhaps, you will find something odd about say an armored truck guarded by a rather large security force making its way through the city?”

All three turned towards the river and on the street on the other side, and as Zenyatta had pointed out, a a large vehicle, flanked by figures riding rather impressive motorcycles was making its way down the street at a slow pace for now as it worked to get onto the busier made road from whatever base it had come from originally. The guards were dressed all in black and looking more than well-trained but there were no markings to indicate they were part of any company or military force that was operating legally in the city.

Reaper had gone rigid as he watched, while McCree's eyes narrowed some, “Now that ain't something you see everyday out here,” He murmured, quickly drawing out a small device, hitting the side to extend it into a pair of binoculars, scanning over the vehicles.

Genji looked to his companions and back to the truck, “You think maybe it could be Talon?”

“There is no maybe about it kid,” McCree lowered the binoculars with a scowl, “They got Talon's typical arsenal of weapons strapped in and matching uniforms that seem to fit usual Talon operatives,”

“They are hauling ammo,” Reaper stated, crossing his arms, “Arms they hand out to any organized group that can be used to stir up trouble. This area has been a hotbed of crime with recent surges in anti-omnic sentiments,”

“And how would you know that?” McCree asked, putting away the binoculars with a slight frown. 

Reaper just tilted his head in an almost arrogant way, straightening his shoulders some, “I've been on guard some of those runs. I know what one looks like,”

“Well, then,” Zenyatta interrupted once more, “I do not know about you, but it seems to be an awful mess to let those weapons get into the hands of those who would use them for nefarious deeds. Shall we join forces to defuse this situation?”

Genji turned to regard his master almost incredulously, a look mirrored in McCree's own expression before the bounty hunter let a slight smile curl his lips and a sigh escape him, turning to where the vehicle was heading to the major road of the city, “Going to be a hard convey to hit,”

“You've hit harder targets,” Reaper moved to the road, letting that black mist start to seep out, “Unless you've gotten even more sloppy,”

McCree gave a snort, “If anything, I'm like a fine Whiskey. I only got better with age,”

Genji chuckled some, as the mist began to form out the shape of a car, the same one that had carried them from the inferno of the last mission “So what's the plan?”

“We hit it hard and fast. Knock out the defenders and secure the package and drive it where we need it. Just like we used to do in Blackwatch,” McCree answered as he brought a hand up to the brim of his hat, pushing it up some, “Looks like we are going to have ourselves little bit of a highway robbery,”

“Oh my, that sounds rather exciting,” Zenyatta said cheerfully as he moved to sit comfortably in the back seat, legs crossed, “I've always wondered about the adrenaline of a high speed chases they have in movies. Seems rather chaotic, but has a certain sense of beauty in order in how it all falls into place,”

Genji just gave a look to his mentor as he slid in next to him, “You've seemed to have made some recent changes to your idealology master,”

“I adapt to an ever changing world, my student,” Zenyatta replied with a chuckle, carefully pulling the seat belt on. 

Reaper moved to the passenger side, looking over at McCree silently. The two shared a look, a cold impassive expression on McCree's face as they seemed to eye each other up, before McCree moved to slip into the driver's seat, “If he shoots me in the back, I swear my ghost is going to haunt your ass Genji until you avenge me,”

“Ah! Just like in Hamlet!” Zenyatta declared as McCree slammed the door shut, taking off down the street to catch up with were the convoy was heading, “A lovely story although I must say revenge is a dish best not sampled at all,”

“That is for sure. Especially when we got a mission now,” Genji leaned forward to look between the two, “But what is the plan even? I know you two were in Blackwatch and are sharing some sort of of angry cover op telepathy mind meld right now, but I was usually under Morrison's command and our orders were a lot more flamboyant and shouted dramatically with fanfare,”

McCree gave a slight chuckle, keeping both hands steady on the wheel, “The usual hit and run as it were. Blackwatch was all about breaking up organizations like Talon through any means possible and as we often got the short end of all the funding, had to make due with seizing convoys that made a run for it. First things first, we have to clear the rabble and isolate the truck,”

“I can take care of that,” Reaper growled, arms still crossed. 

The bounty hunter eyed Reaper warily but gave a curt nod, “So Reyes here will-”

“Reaper,” the correction to the name had McCree arching an eyebrow slightly although the mercenary didn't take his eyes off the road ahead as they trailed the convoy from a distance as it made its way onto the highway, starting to head out of the city and towards the open, less traveled roads that meandered into the desert, “I'll clear the guards. You hijack the truck,”

“Just like old times,” McCree quietly put in, “Think you can keep one of those bikes in tact to give a lift to the cab?”

Reaper gave a snort, “Easily. Get in front of it when-” 

“I know,” McCree interrupted, “I've done this before with you in the passenger seat a dozen times. Get in front and then you are going to pull your fancy footwork,”

“That's good for you two but what about myself and Zenyatta?” Genji drawled, “Are we here for moral support?”

“I always did like to fancy myself a support role when I played games with some of the children who visited the monastery. Some of their electronic games are such a delight,” Zenyatta gave a chuckle, “But in all honestly, Genji and myself are more than capable of handling ourselves on this caper and I feel it is a better use of our talents to engage more in the conflict,”

McCree glanced up before focusing on the road ahead, trailing after the convoy as it started to pull clear of the city, heading along a rather lonely stretch of highway, the light of the early afternoon pouring down and baking the highway in a swelter of heat, “Once Reaper clears the guards, one of you needs to get on the truck and cut your way into the cargo area and clear the guards there. Always a few surprises inside that need handling. The other needs to keep on our tail in the car here, make sure to cover our rear,”

“I can cut my way in easily and probably faster than Zenyatta,” Genji paused, giving a sheepish smile, “Also the fact I never really learned to drive when it was far easier to mooch rides off my brother,” 

“Yeah well, can your monk friend drive then?” McCree asked, glancing to Zenyatta. 

The monk folded his hands in his lap, “I have never driven a motor vehicle before, but I did see a movie called Fast and Furious that had most excellent driving that I wouldn't mind trying to copy. The drivers were most excellent and their philosophy of freedom via the road was most interesting,”

There was a long moment of silent as three pairs of eyes stared on Zenyatta who didn't break his calm, sitting forward, almost a bit eagerly at the prospect of emulating what he had seen in the move, “Guess that's good enough then,” McCree finally said, turning his attention back fully to the road, “Let's get this show on the road,”

The bounty hunter wasted no time tightening his grip on the wheel, surging the car forward in a burst of speed, quickly overtaking the convoy in the passing lane. The guards were watching them, no doubt keeping guns trained on the vehicle but the the tinted windows made it impossible to see the overwatch agents within. McCree gave a snort as he kept pushing the car ahead, tearing ahead of the convoy some as he looked to Reaper, “Your move then. Let's see what you got old man,”

The mercenary responded only be opening the door of the car, melding into smoke and dropping back. Genji quickly turned around as Zenyatta unbuckled his seatbelt in order to close the door before moving to get into the now vacant passenger seat.

Behind them,Reaper began his deadly work. One of the guards was suddenly swerving in surprise as the black fog reformed behind again, Reaper looming over him from where he sat behind the rider. The others around the guard started to panic but it was far too late. In a sudden violent burst, guns blazing all around,the guards dropped to the ground, falling off their bikes at the ferocious blossom of death in their ranks. 

The rider of the bike the mercenary was perched on was hunched over, pale, clinging to the handles before letting out a scream as Reaper all but threw him off, grabbing onto the handles and dropping back and serving to the side to handle the guards on the other side. More vehicles dropped back, scattering across the ground as the riders were dispatched with brutal efficiency. 

McCree let out a chuckle, “He's still as thorough as always. You ready to roll then Genji?”

“Just get me in close,” The ninja replied, rolling down the window before easily hosting himself onto the roof of the car. 

The breaks squealed as McCree slowed the vehicle down, letting the convoy, now in disarray catch up, pulling up along side the truck. Genji didn't waist time surging forward, the cybernetics of his body helping to propel him onto the top of the convoy without any difficulty and brought his sword down in a single swoop, cutting through the metal. There were sounds of alarm inside as Genji worked quickly to get a hole cut while below, McCree had pulled to just behind the truck as Reaper came up on the driver side door, giving a glance towards McCree as the bounty hunter took a deep breath.

For a second he held it before letting it out and turning to Zenyatta, “Take the wheel then and make Vin Disel proud,” With that he opened the door as Reaper moved closer, the two men clasping hands as Zenyetta quickly moved to take the wheel in a firm grip. 

Reaper grabbed onto McCree's forearm as the bounty hunter did the same, the mercenary helping to haul his partner in crime for the heist onto the motor bike. Steadying himself behind Reaper, one hand now clutching his gun while his other held onto Reaper's shoulder as the mercenary leaned to the right, cutting in front of Zenyetta as he kept the care hot on the trail of the vehicle. 

“This really is just like old times,” McCree said, a grin starting to crack across his face, “Just as insane a plan as always,”

The only response from Reaper was a surge of the throttle as the vehicle rushed up beside the cab of the truck where the guard in the passenger seat was already looking to lean out the window and shoot the two. McCree raised his gun, giving a grin, “Seems like it was the wrong time of day for you partner,” he said before putting a shot between the guards eyes with deadly accuracy. 

The body fell limp, halfway out the window as they came up to it. McCree yanked it the rest of the way out before grabbing onto the door and hauling himself up. The driver looked over in a panic as the bounty hunter easily hauled himself through the window, putting the gun up to his head, “Either you stay or you abandon ship. Either way, this hauls mine,” 

The driver's eyes bugged before they quickly moved to push open the door jumping out. McCree wasted no time in grabbing the wheel with one hand and pulling the door closed. A touch to his communicator put him in contact with the only other official overwatch agent on the team, “Convoy secure. How you doing back there Genji?”

The cyborg kicked in the metal circle he had cut in the top, dropping down right after it, already on the move as McCree's message crackled on his communicator. The three guards inside turned as one, raising their guns only to drop quickly under the quick masterful swordplay of the ninja. Carefully he sheathed his sword, casting one quick look around, “Secure in here and I must say the haul they have is rather large. Not just guns,”

He moved over to the nearest crate, touching the lettering on the side, “Looks like they are transporting tacticle missiles. A lot of them,” 

“That means this probably wasn't for some local gang. This was for someone planning something big. Sooner we get this thing turned around and back to headquarters-” McCree began before there was a loud warning beep on the console of the truck, the automated road map fizzling some as it flashed warnings. McCree's grip tightened on the steering wheel, “We got a problem with this heist,”

Genji didn't like the tone in McCree's voice, crouching low, “What's wrong?”

“Talon has gotten a bit wiser. Vehicle just let out a distress signal of some sort and no doubt Talon is going to be here in force soon and we don't got the fire power or means to make a quick escape,” McCree said grimly.

“Then what's the plan? Should we detonate the whole cargo remotely now?” Genji asked, quickly jumping to the nearest well,propelling himself to the other side and from there, gaining more height and speed to get back up and out of the hole. 

“I would agree with you there kid but we are coming up on a town here and we jump out, this vehicles could crash into any home or business here. I reckon we want to get through this with no civilian casualties,” McCree gritted his teeth, hands tight on the wheel as the road narrowed to a two lane local road, “Need a better plan, but blowing this cargo up might be the ticket,”

The cowboy touched his com device, switching frequencies, “This is agent McCree requesting back-up or pick-up or anything to get our asses out of the fire here. We just stole a convoy from Talon and they are going to be looking to make us pay up with our lives. So, whatever you can give us, we would be much obliaged,” 

The com crackled and the barest hiss of voices was heard but nothing concrete and as they dres closer to the town, the communication seemed to get worse. McCree sighed, frowning, “Well, I sent a message Genji for help, but don't know if they got it. Something is starting to jam the communicators,”

Genji cursed, feeling the sting of the last mission all over again. Things weren't looking good but an agent of Overwatch didn't surrender so easily and this time they had something to prove. Had to show Talon that Overwatch was able to hold its own and put a real dent in their plans. He ran along the length of the vehicle, dropping down in through the window of the cab. To the left of the truck, Reaper was still keeping pace, looking up at the window. McCree raised one hand, quickly signing something to Reaper, who made a response of some sort that had McCree giving a chuckle. 

Genji just tilted his head some at the exchange, a little thrown off, “What?”

“Nothing. Just an in joke,” McCree replied, a small,almost sad little smile on his face as if thing fondly back, “Look at the map and find us some ravine or quarry, just anything that is a long drop and most likely ain't going to have civilians walking about. Reyes there believes a high enough drop will be enough to light this whole thing on fire and do the least amount of damage,”

Genji quickly tapped the crackling screen, eyes quickly scanning the map before he tapped the screen to magnify a nearby region, “Just a few miles out of town pass the main road is a canyon. Looks a deep enough drop for what you want,”

“That is does. Alright, make sure to bail before we hit bottom and hope your friend is doing well for a first time driver,” McCree responded, slamming the pedal down, the gauges on the dashboard surging as the engine roared. Genji moved to peer out the window, giving a thumbs up to Zenyatta who returned the gesture. For now, he was doing fine in keeping up but so far it had been a rather straight shot. Ahead of them, Reaper was moving forward,leaned over the handlebars , keeping ahead of McCree as the truck barreled down the street, the horn blaring loudly. The few cars in their way swerved aside to avoid colliding with the speeding truck and the few lights in town had so far remained green. Ahead though, Genji tensed as the light switched to yellow and the buildings there making any driver blind to traffic that might have been coming from the other direction.

McCree cursed colorfully, hands tensing on the wheel as the light turned red and the cars waiting to go started to edge forward. Ahead though, Reaper suddenly swerved hard as he hit the intersection, the motorbike screeching as it was thrown too far, falling over to skid on its side. Reaper didn't vanish in a cloud of smoke, skidding with the bike across pavement in front of the vehicles about to move, causing the first car to come to a halt at the apparent accident that had occurred in front of them and not wanting to hit an apparent person now in the street in front of them. It kept the traffic there stalled just long enough for the truck to race by.

McCree gave a soft laugh, “The old don't hit the pedestrian in a crash trick,” He murmured as they cleared the small town and were back on open road, “Surprised he even did that one,” 

Genji looked back, Zenyatta still behind them although he had swerved to come up beside them now as the two vehicles rushed forward. He didn't see Reaper getting up and a pang of worry surged through him, “Will he be-”

“He's done that stick before and now? I think he probably will be feeling it even less,” McCree responded, “We got a job to finish though. How long until the canyon?”

“A few more clicks if all goes-” Genji began only to be interrupted by a blare of the horn from Zenyatta. Both Overwatch agents looked to where the Monk was, the omnic pointing ahead. On the flat shimmering horizon, the glint of black vehicles could be seen, two of them heavily armored tank-like vehicles with a helicopter churning just behind them and a swarm of other vehicles carrying black-cad agents of Talon. McCree gave a snort, “Ah Talon, blocking us in already. Must be near a big base if they are rallying this quick,” he murmured, “Just our luck,”

“What do we do? Run the blockade?” Genji asked, gripping onto the dash some.

McCree was quiet for a moment before he gave a faint smile, “buckle up partner,we are about to take a little trip cross-country,”

The bounty hunter swung the wheel hard to the left, the tires screeching as the truck barreled off the road into the arid land, dust rising as they charged through brambles and small gnarled trees, crashing through the landscape. Genji gripped onto the handle of the door some, quickly looking to make sure Zenyatta was okay. The monk hadn't missed a beat, following dutiful behind them. The truck was bumping enough that Genji felt like he was about to be thrown out of his seat at any time of not for his grip on the door steadying him, the screen of the trucks GPS nearly blanking out from being jostled so much.

“How long to that canyon?” McCree hollered.

“Not far! Should be coming into view- there!” Genji shouted pointing ahead in the sweltering landscape. The lip of the canyon seemed a small orange scar on the landscape growing larger like a mouth in the earth opening up as if eager to accept their explosive payload. McCree kept the vehicle steady, teeth gritted, “When I say bail, getout the door and don't look back,”

The truck roared across the landscape, bouncing along, every rock felt, the entire front of the vehicle scratched and pinged with dents and a few spider-thin cracks were forming on the glass from pings of rocks being thrown up against the windshield. Genji tightened his grip on the door handle as the lip of the canyon drew closer and closer.

“Bail!” McCree hollered before opening up the driver side door and throwing himself out, tucking into a roll as he hit the ground. Genji lept out the other side, landing in a crouch in the dirt as the rest of the truck blew pass, careening forward and over the lip of the canyon. A few seconds seemed to tick by in slow motion as the vehicle dropped out of sight before a huge explosion ripped through the air, a billow plume of fire and smoke rising up from the canyon with a defeaning book of the explosion. The earth shook slightly beneath them as small bits of debris showered the area. Quickly Genji ran over to where McCree was getting to his feet slowly, holding his back, clearly a bit bruised but a huge grin on his face.

“Now that is what I call a heist!” McCree declared, slapping his knee with a wide grin. 

There was a screech of tires as Zenyatta pulled up, leaning out the window some, the engine of the car letting out a hiss and small whisps of smoke sputtering now from under the hood, “So this is what my student does usually? Frankly Genji, I am appalled you have kept me away from such excitement like I am a child to be coddled!” he declared, although his tone was filled with amusement more than any sort of real anger. 

“Ah master, it is far too dangerous for-” Genji began only to be interrupted by a single raise of Zenyatta's finger.

“I may be young, but I am not without my own bite and I know when there is a fight to have and a side to take, my dear student,” he chided gently, “Besides, given the circumstances, you will need all the help there is to be had,”

With a a flick of the same finger, one of his orbs shot forward hovering around McCree with a warm light. The bounty hunter blinked, straightening up as his bruises were eased and then vanished entirely. He put a hand to his hat, shaking his head, “Well I'll be damned,”

“Healed I hope rather than damned,” Zenyatta replied with a chuckle, “I think our friends will not be pleased,”

The whirring sound of helicopter blades filled the air and the low hum of engines of the approaching Talon vehicles. Genji let out a sigh, “They really want us dead don't they?”

“Clearly we have offended their sensitivities,” McCree gave a small grin before looking to the car, “Doesn't look like we will be able to make good an escape now in that junker,”

Zenyatta gave a solemn nod, “Car tires are not as, shall we say, durable as the movies seem to make them out. Was rather hard to drive with four flat tires in fact,”

“You did a good job keeping up though. The next Fast and Furious movie should be starring your skills,” Genji assured, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, earning a chuckle from Zenyatta.

McCree turned to quickly scan the area before gesturing to a large outcropping of rocks hugging the lip of the canyon, “We get over there and duck down, take off as many as we can and send a call for backup again and pray we are out of range of whatever jammer they were using. Hopefully someone got our earlier distress and already have agents in bound,”

Zenyatta looked to the incoming ground vehicles, “May be difficult to hold out with so much ground support. We may be overwhelmed, even with the cover,”

“I can put a rather large dent in their ground forces and give us a fighting chance,” Genji lifted a hand to his sword, “Get to cover while I handle this errand,”

McCree gae a small chuckle, “You are even starting to sound like Reyes now. Better watch it before he rubs too much on you,”

“If I start wearing black and wearing a skull mask, you both have permission to stage an intervention,” Genji gave an amused look before shifting his weight into a crouch, “Now go!”

McCree nodded, turning to go as Zeyatta gave a nod to Genji, “Please be careful, Genji,” 

Genji gave a nod back, hand tight on the handle of his sword. The vehicles were getting closer now and would be upon them soon but there was no anxiety, only a sense of calm as he carefully counted how many vehicles were heading their way. He drew his sword halfway out of the sheath. He only had one chance to get this right to aid his friends.

“Ryūjin no ken wo kurae!” The words rang in the air as he brought his sword to bear in a swing forward, the green energy of the dragon gathering and bursting forward with a roar into the incoming troops. There were cries of alarm, many trying to get out of the way as Genji pivoted his foot, bringing his sword around in a smooth arc and guiding the dragon along its destructive path, crashing into both of the armored vehicles and sending then careening off their path, one flipping over in too hard a turn and the others engine sputtering out in a spurt of fire. 

As Genji completed his turn, he quickly sheathed his sword before taking after where McCree and Zenyatta were, the bounty hunter already laying down cover fire as the cyborg scrambled up over the rocks to duck down with them. Behind him, surviovrs of the overturned vehicles and those few vehicles that managed to avoid the dragon's path were pouring out onto the ground, heading towards where they were making their stand.

“Impressive fireworks there kid. Any chance you can do it again?” McCree asked, ducking down as a hail of bullets from the passing helicopter peppered the areas as it circled, trying to get a clear shot.

“I will need time before I am able to again but twice in less than an hour is going to be pushing it,” The cyborg responded, “And even then, although powerful, unlike my brother, my own dragon is not made entirely for range and it may be difficult to hit the helicopters if that is what you have in mind for a second strike,”

“Then it seems to be up to me,” McCree squinted some as one of the two helicopters whizzed by, “That's two of them with thick armor though. Would need a few perfect shots to take even one down and I doubt they are going to be kind enough to let us know where those weak points are in fact,”

“Perhaps I can be of assistance,” Zenyatta brought a hand up, one of the orbs dancing over his fingers before he looked to the incoming helicopter, “I will be able to amplify the damage you can do the the vehicle for a short period of time as long as I keep a visual which should make it, more or less, one giant weak point,”

McCree gave a chuckle, putting ah and to his had, “That would be mighty helpful, Genji, cover us,”

“Got it,” Genji shifted getting more into view sword drawn as Zenyatta, extended his hand, the orb surging forward towards the helicopter, bathing it in a peculiar light. McCree wasted no time in laying down heavy fire along the vehicle's side, the bullets seeking out the soft weak points to hit more crucial systems below and udner the influence of the omnic monk's orb, the metal seemed to be nothing more than paper under McCree's barrage of fire. The first helicopter wavered, starting to dip before smoke started to burst from the rear and the lick of flames could be seen as the pilot lost control, dropping lower before careening into a nearby rock face with a deafening explosion. 

Below, survivors of Genji's devastating attack were laying down fire, the cyborg moving quickly to deflect as many shots back as he could to keep his two teammates safe. McCree gave wide grin as Zenyatta recalled his orb, turning to send another one out towards the troops below, letting lose a flurry or energy that helped in driving them back, “One down. I suppose we should work on getting the other one down?”

“Seems they aren't getting close to the fun anymore,” McCree commented, ducking down as a hail of bullets peppered where he had been standing a moment ago, “And we are starting to get a little cramped here now,”

Genji twisted about, sending a hail of shurikens into the enemy before ducking to avoid incoming fire “Well, I'm all out of ideas other than praying someone got our request for assistance,”

“No response on com yet,” McCree murmured, leaning up to take a shot, jumping some as a cloud of smoke rose up beside him, Reaper forming up both shotguns drawn already, “Fucking- don't do that to me!”

Reaper just gave a snort, turning to lay a heavy trail of bullets into the enemy before ducking down, “Getting yourself into a corner again I see. Typical,”

“I'm pretty sure the plan from the start was going at this by the seat of our pants already,” Genji commented, giving a rueful smile, “But welcome to our corner regardless Reaper. I'm glad to see you are okay,”

The mercenary's response was to only lean over the cover to lay down another volley of fire before ducking down, “What is your plan now?”

“Was hoping your infinite wisdom would have something to offer,” McCree said with a slight grin, “Otherwise we are gonna have to ride this out like we did in the sting operation we had in the Alps that one time and just hold tight until we run out of bullets and have to resort to throwing rocks and punching our way to freedom,”

“Or, perhaps, we simply steal the helicopter,” Zenyatta proposed, lifting a hand, “Reaper,do you think you could somehow hijack our flying friend?”

The mercenary stared at Zenyatta for a few seconds before craning his head to look up at the helicopter still in the air with a thoughtful tilt to his head before dropping his empty guns to the ground, “Easily,”

McCree mad a face, eyeing the discarded guns, “Treating your equipment like trash? That's a new one,”

Reaper just glanced over his shoulder before moving to get to higher ground. The guns began to disappear though as if turning to dust, a trail following Reaper as he moved higher up the rock face in quick bursts of shadowy smoke before leaping off the top, looking like he vanished into thin air in a burst of black smoke. Suddenly the helicopter started to careen in the air, losing its balance before starting to come in closer, the side door opening. The troops that had been waiting to deploy were slumped over, taken out quickly, the co-pilot violent thrown against the far wall, looking a drained out husk. McCree grimaced, “Efficient son of a bitch still,”

The cowboy moved closer as the helicopter hovered, level with them, leaping the short distance into the vehicle and pushing some of the bodies out before reaching to offer a hand to Zenyatta, “Let's just get out of here before they send something worse to put us in the grave. Think we are really kicking the hornet's nest now,”

The omnic took the hand, more to be polite as it was clear he had no problem hovering over the distance as Genji lept up next to them, quickly moving to the cockpit, “that fog abilities of yours makes you a dangerous mover,” he commented, moving to slide into the co-pilot seat, “Let's get going home then,”

“Your home, not mine,” Reaper responded, tilting the control stick and arching the helicopter away from the smoking battlefield , “Which direction even?”

 

“Away from the city and putting some distance between us and them and try and shake them,” McCree put in, coming up to put a hand on the back of Reaper's chair, “HQ has been more than a little quiet though which has me worried if anyone heard us. Might be something in this chopper jamming any non-Talon signals,”

“Probably,” Reaper the helicopter level as they tore off, below the few troops still on the ground firing uselessly as they made their escape, “But they are calling in fast movers next from the radio chatter,”Reaper said, as he indicated the discarded headset of the former pilot. 

McCree let out a groan, “There is no way we are going to outrun jets in this clunker,”

Genji shifted, fingers dancing over the console to pull up the radar, “Got to make a try at the very least. Still got the guns online with a good amount of ammo. Hows your aim with weapon interfaces?”

“Point me to where I need to sit,” McCree answered with a small smile.

The ninja chuckled, gesturing to the gunman chair, the bounty hunter quickly moing to sit and buckle in while Zenyatta moved to hover just between Reaper and Genji, “I am sure your friends will come,” the monk said confidently, “Your comrades in Overwatch seem the type to rush quickly to aid each other,”

“Not my friends,” Reaper deadpanned while Geni gave a snort.

“Not mine either. More my family to be honest,” He paused to look at Reaper, “our family,”

That caused the mercenary to tense some, tilting his head just a bit but not responding to the words as he kept the helicopter level, climbing higher into the air to clear the ridges below. There was a hiss behind them as the gunman's chair locked and loaded, McCree gripping the triggers, “We got a pair of flyers coming, just as you said. Only a pair though. I feel like they are trying to add insult to injury to make up for their already heavy losses to us,”

“Or afraid we will simply destroy more of their resources that they have put already into trying to kill us,” Zenyatta offered, “We seemed to have created a terrible mess for them. No doubt a rather large blow to their pride. For some, that is a rather fatal blow,”

“Good,” Genji answered before looking to Reaper, “I'm honestly impressed you know how to fly one of these,”

“Special forces training,” Reaper answered bluntly but didn't go into anymore details other than that. 

The roar of engines was quick upon them, the two fast moving compact jets, smaller than the military grade and used more by crime organizations with some money due to their small size and easier construction, moved past, turning ahead to come back around, the gleam of their guns seen as they emerged from the vehicles. 

McCree squeezed the trigger, laying down a line of fire that was dead-eyed, but useless as the bullets seemed to hit against the shimmering glow of a shield. The bounty hunter cursed, “Damnit! They got shields!”

Reaper twisted the control stick hard, banking the helicopter barely out of the way of some rocket fire, doing his best to keep them in the air, “Thank you for pointing out the obvious, brat,”

“Yeah well, just keep flying fancy and maybe they'll be impressed enough to let us go,” McCree shot back, squeezing the trigger again to pepper the shields in an attempt to wear them down. 

Genji grimaced before looking over the control panel, pulling up the sub-systems menu on the on board computer, “Maybe we can disengage the scramble code and get help. We managed to get a signal out before the jam was set, so maybe someone is on the com, looking for us?”

“I would try under the arsenal subsystems in the special folders category,” Zenyatta offered, reaching out to touch the appropriate switches, “Doesn't seem to have a presence in the communications folder,”

The cyborg gave a nod, moving aside to allow Zenyatta to assist him, “A good idea- ah! There it is!” he loaded it up, the screen flashing wanting a password, “We need a password!”

“Try Hail Talon or something!” McCree hollered. 

Reaper gave a growl, shifting the helicopter in a hard turn, barely missing a hit to the rear tail, “Password is 520891 most likely. Standard one for most on board systems,”

Genji punched in the code, the screen lighting up and clearing to give him access, “Okay, shutting down the jamming signal now!”

With a click, it powered down and almost immediately there was a loud burst of static over the com that made both Genji and McCree wince, “Hello!? Anyone out there? Please respond! Genji? McCree? This is Tracer come in! Please, do you read?”

“Yes, very loud and clear,” McCree drawled, “Glad you got our message but sorry for the silence. Had a jammer on us. Where are you?”

“Where are you? Torbjörn and I have been combing the entire area for you!” Tracer responded, her voice relieved but still filled with worry, “What is going on?”

“In a helicopter being shot at and it is really a miracle we haven't-” Genji began only to be thrown forward some as a hit finally struck true, tearing through the rear of the vehicle.

Smoke began to fill the cockpit and Genji grimaced behind his mask, moving to knock out the window to try and clear the air as Reaper clutched the control stick tighter, trying to keep them in a tight circle even as they began to lose altitude. McCree coughed, ripping away at the straps of the gunner chair and stumbling out, blood apparent on his clothes now from shrapnel that had peppered his left side.

“Genji! What happened?” Tracer's voice was shrill with panic. 

“We are going down so if you are in the area and have something that can help, really could use it. McCree's hurt,” Genji looked to the bounty hunter who waved a hand. 

“Just a few scratches. I've been through worse,” He murmured but took an arm of support from Zenyatta as the monk worked to heal the worse of the damage. 

“Just...just hold on! The cavalry is here!” Tracer's voice was a small comfort of hope as the smoke continued to billow and ahead, the jets were coming around again to give the finishing blow. 

Genji reached out to grab onto Reaper's arm, the mercenary turning to regard him. The cyborg just gave a small laugh, “If we are going to maybe die here, just wanted to let you know that...” he paused, only for a second, before finishing lamely, “Glad we are going down with this ship together like that couple in Titanic. Except I say we both could get on that door and survive,”

“We aren't dying,” Reaper growled, hunching his shoulders, “And if you jump, I'm grabbing you and hauling you back over the railing,” 

The jets were closing in and Genji just looked to Reaper, an unseen smile on his face underneath his own mask, wishing he really had a lot more time than that moment to say everything that was on his mind. Maybe have one or two last barbs to share with his friend. Reaper just reached up with one hand to grab onto Genji's own, staring at him, his posture tensed in a stubborn conviction that this wasn't the end.

Just as one of the jets was to come into range, it pulled away, as if startled, beans of energy shooting back over the helicopter in their direction, scattering the two vehicles. Genji quickly leaned forward to peer through the window as a larger, more elegant jet thundered by overhead. The gleam of its haul and the faded Overwatch symbol on the side made Genji almost laugh with relief.

“Calvary is indeed here!” Genji couldn't keep the relief out of his voice as Tracer's own came back over the com.

“Hang on tight loves, coming around for pick up! Think you can ease that whirlygig into the bay? Torb says it will fit easily enough!” Tracer said, her voice filled with concern.

“Just open the pod bay doors and get us in range,” Reaper growled, hitting a few switches to divert as much power to the whirling blades to try and get a little bit of of a boost, just enough to get them just about level with the Overwatch carrier jet as it banked hard to come around, slowing down as it came just above them.

The belly of the jet opened and a pair of clamps extended. Reaper watched the camps carefully before flicking off the systems as they came about, the blades of the helicopter coming to a stop and folding up as they were hauled upwards. He slumped back some as McCree gave a bark of laughter, one arm slung around Zenyatta's shoulders, “Seems to be the day for small miracles. Didn't even know we still had these old relics in operation,”

As the doors closed, Genji looked to the entrance of the pod bay where Tracer already stood waiting, eyes wide as she took in the mangled vehicle still releasing a heavy cloud of smoke, “Is everyone okay?” she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. 

“In near perfect health,” Zenyatta calmly said as he helped McCree out of the vehicle, “But I think our cowboy friend here will need more formal medical attention,”

“In time,” McCree said, giving a grin before looking to Tracer, “Now isn't this flybird a sight for sore eyes!”

“Torbjörn and I were at the base when your comm came through and I had no idea what to do, but he did! Got right up and stomped to the garage and said it was time to give a test run of this restored relic,” Tracer replied, quickly moving over to help Zenyatta with McCree, “Sorry it took so long to get here,”

“Not a problem Tracer. We always did like to live life on the edge and cutting it so close we felt death was joining us for the ride,” Genji said with a chuckle, one hand still holding Reaper's own as the two exited. 

Reaper gentle pulled his own away though, crossing his arms, “Your communications systems are too weak. Tell that monkey to make them stronger,” he deadpanned, “Let's avoid close calls,”

Tracer tensed a bit at Reaper's words, stepping aside as the mercenary stalked by, heading to the cockpit, “Oh, uh, okay,” she murmured before looking to Genji who gave a shrug.

“Might be worth taking that advice,” Genji offered before following after Reaper, hurrying to the cockpit. 

The sky was racing by, ahead the two jets were moving and darting as the automatic defenses did their best to try and lock on and knock the two vehicles out of the sky. The Swede glanced up, his eyes narrowed in suspicion at seeing Reaper as Genji moved pass, quickly taking a seat in one of the chairs on the cockpit bridge, “What's the status now?”

“Chasing down your two attackers and trying to put them down to send Talon a little thank yougift, that's what,” Torbjörn growled out.

“Switch to manual and I'll handle them. Need to make up for their shields blocking shots earlier,” Genji looked back to McCree as he eased himself into a chair at one of the consoles next to Torbjörn , pulling the gun controls forward.

“Mercy is going to have our heads for letting you still shoot while injured,” Genji pointed out with a small chuckle.

Tracer gave a small laugh, “She is going to give you all a lecture for the stunt you just pulled,”

Reaper just crossed his arms, remaining silent as McCree squinted, tracking the fighters on the screen before giving a small smirk, “Its high noon once again,” and with those words, he pulled the trigger, both targets lighting up in a burst of flame as the jet whizzed by.

Tracer let out a whoop of victory as Genji laughed, getting to his feet to meet Tracer for a tight hug, lifting her off the ground briefly. Zenyatta chuckled, clapping his hands some and even Torbjörn was able to crack a slight smile. McCree sat back, putting a hand to his had and giving an amused look, “And that is what I call mission complete,”

The sense of victory was palpable on the jet and Genji couldn't keep the smile off his face although it was hidden by his mask. After all the set backs, the problems and failures, they had finally scored a victory, not just as one person, but as a team.

As a family. 

He looked over towards McCree, the bounty hunter looking to be in a good mood, smiling easily as he moved to light up a cigar, Tracer's bright smile after so many mishaps, eyes burning with fight once more, and even Zenyatta seemed to be caught up in the exhilaration, his posture relaxed but had an eager set to his shoulders as if he had come to a realization of what to do next.

Genji knew there was no point in trying to talk his friend out of getting involved at this point. The omnic monk could be very stubborn about where he stood when push came to shove.

The only person that didn't seem to be up in arms already celebrating was Reaper, the mercenary sitting apart from the others, arms crossed and staring out the window as the vehicle made its way quickly back to their base. He seemed almost pensive, watching them celebrate out of the corner of his eye from the slight tilt of his head. For a moment, Genji wish he could read minds just to try and figure out what was going on inside the mind of the dark mercenary.

The flight back was quick, thanks in no small part to the ingenious design of the craft. At the height of Overwatch, a dozen of the large jets were moving about, delivering troops and tangents across the world and back to base with little effort but with the end of Overwatch, most of the vehicles were decommissioned. 

Apparently Torbjörn had kept one for sentimental value and had taken the time to lovingly restore it as the Overwatch recall began in full force. It was a lot better than flying coach, that much Genji was thankful for. It would make things much more easier from now on as slowly Overwatch began to rebuild. A slight smile touched his face again as the cyborg sunk back in his seat, closing his eyes. 

It felt good to becoming back after a win for the first time in a while. 

That energy seemed to be just as infectious back at base, Winston smiling wide as they descended the causeway, all but catching Tracer in a tight hug while Torbjörn stomped up behind them, grinning wide and already going into details of the test run with the scientist excitedly.

Zenyatta took in the sights with a soft chuckle, looking to Genji as McCree limped down to join the group, “Your friends are very close. It really is like a family,”

“It has always felt like that,” Genji reached a hand up to take off his mask, “I didn't really appreciate that feeling all to much to be honest though in the past. Too caught up in my own world and own misery,” 

Genji lifted his gaze to see Soldier 76 watching from afar, as if a stranger to the whole thing, his expression hidden behind his visor. He leaned in the doorway, nothing like the Morrison Genji knew who would have been rushing out to both congratulate them but also give them a stern lecture on responsibility all in a single breath. To his left stood Hanzo, the archer watching the whole scene, his expression carefully schooled and looking more like he had just been passing by rather than waiting to see who returned unharmed.

Genji felt a small tinge of anger, the last conversation they had had still leaving an impact upon him, but he looked away to focus again on his master, “I am thankful that I have gotten a second chance to be here and be more apart of things, more healthy and complete,”

Zenyatta gave a nod, reaching to link his arms companionably with Genji, “You will have to show me around this place and introduce me to your friends. I am eager to meet those who I will be working with and seeking a path of peace and stability with,”

Winston's attention perked up, looking to the monk and Genji, his smile widening, “Have you gotten a new recruit as well Genji?”

Genji gave a chuckle, “My master and dear friend, Zenyatta, once a part of the Shambali, but now, after getting a taste of our life, seems to want to join our little organization,”

“He is most welcomed!” Winston said as he lumbered over, extending a hand to the monk who shook it warmly, “And it is honor to have one of the Shambali with us,”

“Ex-Shimbali,” Zenyatta corrected, “On my own path as I did not agree with their dogmatic views. Much like how Buddha himself saw the ways of the Guru to stifling to finding true enlightenment, I too believe that it is important to find a more personal connection with the world and with ourselves and to that extent,” the monk gestured, “I also believe that some causes are not just worth fighting for but are a necessity to fight for,”

Winston gave a nod, the smile not leaving his face, “I agree. I once had a dear friend of mine once say that we need to see the world as it could be, not just as it is,”

“Very wise words,” Zenyatta gave a nod, “I look forward to discussing this further. A discussion of ideas,especially among new friends and colleges, is always a delight, I must say,”

Genji smiled, glad to see already Zenyatta was making connections with the group but then, the monk had a real knack for people-to-people communication. The cyborg turned his head towards the vehicle where Reaper still lingered, shoulders tense, his posture more that of an animal wondering if it should approach and risk harm to itself or keep away. 

He was an outsider to the group still, just as much as Hanzo. Just as much as Soldier 76. Their personal baggage and pains keeping them apart. Reaper looked just about ready to leave the area entirely, turning away before McCree turned, giving a sharp whistle in the direction of the mercenary, “Hey, Reaper,”

The mercenary tensed, turning to warily regard McCree as the bounty hunter moved over to him. McCree removed the cigar from his lips with one hand, blowing out a trail of smoke, an amused smile on his face although there was a touch of slight apprehension, “You did good work, for an old timer,” he said before extending his hand to Reaper.

For a long moment Reaper stared at the extended hand, his shoulders tensing and glancing up to McCree who continued to keep that same smile on his face. Slowly Reaper raised a hand, as if afraid that McCree was going to pull his own away before clasping it. The two men leaned in close, bumping forearms in some sort of special shake, the smile on McCree's face growing as Reaper responded, “Same to you, brat,”

“Maybe I misjudged you or I'm living too much in the past or maybe I'm catching Genji's insanity about you, but today, you could have done me in a dozen times but you didn't,” He gave the hand clasped in his own a slight squeeze, “W should set up some targets some time though and see who schools who now,”

“If you want to lose that badly, fine,” Reaper responded, finally letting go of the shake, “You still are a sloppy brat,”

“And you still can't admit that I've honestly impressed you,” McCree responded with a slight wink, “Don't be afraid to admit you are getting old,”

Reaper gave a snort, crossing his arms and giving a slight arrogant tilt of his head, “You'll be in a wheelchair before me,”

McCree gave one last chuckle, shaking his head as he turned, wincing a bit, “Looks like now, don't it with how I'm limping about. Better get to Mercy before she has Winston cart me off,”

“I would like to meet this Mercy as well,” Zenyatta spoke up, “I want to thank her for what she has done for Genji, that is, if you don't mind me accompany you McCree?”

“Call me Jesse and not at all,” The cowboy said with a tilt of his had, bringing the cigar to his lips.

Genji watched the two head off, Zenyatta glancing over his shoulder at Genji and giving a pointed glance to Reaper and a thumbs up. The cyborg couldn't help the small groan of embarrassment that escaped him. Really he was starting to wonder if telling Zenyatta how he felt was a recipe for disaster as his dear friend seemed to be starting to fancy himself an omnic love guru on top of being a monk. 

Reaper moved closer to Genji as the others began to move inside, quietly slipping a hand into the cyborgs own with a light squeeze, “You thought we wouldn't survive,”

“I'm not afraid to die and sometimes, in those moments, it feels better to say something rather than dwell on any fears,” Genji gave a quiet laugh, “But I never feel like I say the right things before death. I swear my final words when I truly do die will be something awful,”

“If you make a pun as your last words, I'll put it on your tombstone,” Reaper drawled, earning a light laugh from the cyborg. 

“I would like that. Even in death, I'll still be cracking a joke eternally on my gravestone,” Genji leaned against Reaper's arm, a content smile on his face, “You did very well today,”

Reaper was silent for a moment before giving a faint nod, “Maybe,”

“You are working with the team again and McCree seems to have accepted you. You don't have to be completely alone,”Genji said gently, giving his hand a squeeze.

The mercenary looked down at Genji, inclining his head some, “It is better if I am alone,”

“I don't think so,” Genji's grip tightened some before he began to give a gentle tug to lead the mercenary away with him in the opposite direction of the base, “I would rather you spend time at my side than pulling away into your shell again,”

The mercenary just silently followed along after Genji, not letting go of his hand this time as they moved to climb the small paths that wound their way up the cliffs around the base to a higher ridge that gave them more of a view of the area and the wide horizon of the ocean ahead, “You are a very talented pilot. Was that all just special training?” Genji asked, moving to a large flat rock to take a seat on, pulling Reaper down beside him gently.

 

“I was in the military since I was eighteen. I was trained for special ops by age twenty,” Reaper answered, his tone a bit halting, “Flying helicopters was required for emergencies,” 

“Since you were eighteen? That's a long time,” Genji gave a quiet laugh, “At age eighteen I spent most of my time avoiding training to go hang out at arcades, wasting away my time with games and pleasure. My family was rich with the pleasures of the world at my fingertips and no responsibilities being the youngest although I suppose the trade off was no one really paid me any mind unless I caused trouble. Do you have any siblings?”

Reaper stared off silently for a long moment, long enough that Genji thought he wasn't going to answer before the mercenary shook his head, “No, only child,”

“I see,” Genji gave a slight smile, “What were your mother and father like? My mother was like my brother. Stern, quiet, and always disproving of everything I did and always asking me about the grandchildren she wanted me to produce. My father was more like me, a dreamer, more hopeful about making a change in the world but ah,” he gave a small, bittersweet smile, “He may have led the clan, but my mother was pulling every string,”

Again, there was silent from Reaper but his body language tensed some as he stared off. He didn't say anything for the longest time before speaking again, revealing just another small piece of his personal life, “Just my mother,” He said at length, his words slow with a bit uncertainty as if admitting that sliver of mortality at all would doom him, “No father,”

He didn't expound on the details, sitting their quietly as always as Genji carefully moved to lean against him some, following his gaze out over the scenery. He mused silently for a moment before glancing up at companion, “Sorry if I stirred up any memories,” Genji said softly, tracing a finger over the seams of Reaper's jacket, “Was not my intention,”

Reaper shifted, moving an arm about Genji lightly, his gaze still on the scenery, “Its fine,”

The two sat in a comfortable silence other than the quiet crash of the ocean against the shoreline far below and the call of seabirds in the late evening light. Genji closed his eyes, a serene, thoughtful look on his face, “I never really fully appreciated the beauty of such places before, the sights, sounds, smells,” he murmured, “and it is places like this that reminds me of all those other places out there that truly felt like home,”

There was no response from Reaper although he turned his head some to regard Genji silently, a clear indication he was listening to the other man as he continued to speak, “The monastery in Nepal was always so peaceful and during the night just after a blizzard brought driving snow, the entire world seen awash in a blue glow without a soul around to disturb the fresh powder,” he opened his eyes, a small smile on his face, “It has always felt like home there but then, always thinking of home, I remember sitting with my brother on the back porch of our family's summer home in the northern reaches of Japan to escape the heat. It is almost funny what you can recall sometimes,”

Genji sat up some, looking out over the expansive ocean, “My brother and I would always share a couple of sodas, the marble top ones. Always peach flavored for Hanzo and cherry for myself. We wouldn't talk, just watch, just listen to the sound of summer, taking a break from rushing about the woods like a couple of hooligans,” he gave a quiet laugh, “I remember it so clearly sometimes,”

Reaper gave a slight nod, half watching Genji and half staring off. Although there was some tension in Reaper's posture, it didn't seem one born of anxiety or the like, almost a thoughtful sort of feeling to how he looked now as he maintained his silence. It was times like this that Genji wish he could know what was going on inside Reaper's mind, what he was thinking about, what his worries were, what his past was. Genji didn't ask though. He knew the mercenary wouldn't answer, not until he was ready to answer at least. 

“I think,” Genji began as he lightly ran his hands up Reaper's forarms, “I think this place is starting to feel like home now too,”

There was the briefest small movement of Reaper's head, a movement that almost looked like a nod of agreement at those words and the smile on Genji's face only grew. There was one answer at least, one that just added to the euphoria of the successful mission.

The two jumped a bit as they heard shouting down below, both turning back towards the base. From their vantage point, they could see down into the yard area just outside the base where Zenyatta was quickly floating away from the base wearing McCree's hat, Tracer laughing and on his heels while behind them, McCree was giving chase, hollering angrily at first glance, but his words didn't match the amused grin he was trying to keep off his face. McCree had almost caught up to Zenyatta, the monk had taken off the hat to toss it to Tracer, the two clearly playing some sort of game of keep away with the hat. 

Genji gave a chuckle, crossing his arms some as he watched before looking up to Reaper, “So, think we should join the game? I don't think either of them are going to keep it away from McCree for long at this rate. He nearly has them cornered,”

Reaper tilted his head thoughtfully before getting to his feet, “Fine. Your idea though,”

“I will take all the blame if McCree says anything,” Genji responded with a wide grin, moving to slide his mask into place, “Besides, can't let him off so easily for stalking us earlier today!”

The only response from Reaper was a snort as he began to dissolve into that black fog, quickly moving down to where Zenyatta and Tracer were doing their best to keep the hat away from McCree as he got closer and closer to intercepting it and ending their game. Genji just smiled and took off down the path.

This place was really starting to feel like home.


	7. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here at last is the next chapter! Was a hard on to write and get the right feeling but feel it turned out how I wanted <3 LONGEST CHAPTER YET! NEARLY 20K WORDS ; w ;
> 
> Also, thinking about doing "spin-offs" of this story, to elaborate on scenes that take place but won't show up in this story like Reaper and Soldier 76 talking and McCree and Hanzo talking. What do you think? Let me know if I should c:

Chapter Seven: Confession 

 

There was very little in life that could come close to the experience that was Reinhardt's training. From the very moment Reinhardt had stepped back into their base among many a warm welcome from his old comrades, he was a man on a mission, a single crusader in the battle to get discipline put back into the ranks with a firm, yet jovial hand. 

Really, to Genji, it seemed that Reinhardt had never left Overwatch for how fast he was back in the moment. A problem with that though was that most of them still weren't back themselves. Winston, of course was here as was Tracer but those like McCree and Torbjorn were still slowly warming up to the spirit of things. Genji himself felt like he was more attached now then he was in the past,emotionally at least, but still didn't quiet feel like they were a solid group. It still felt like they were trudging up hill with mud up to the knees even with Reinhardt now pulling them along. 

The biggest problem was the uncertainty that seemed to haunt so many of them. Mercy wasn't the same, still quiet, even more so after Reaper had shown up at the base. Speaking of the dark mercenary, Reaper had not taken well to seeing Reinhardt, but then when the greeting was a punch in the gut that had Reaper doubling over before being crushed in an all encompassing bear hug, Genji couldn't blame Reaper for completely avoiding the German at all costs.

The easiest way to spook Reaper it seemed was to invade his personal space with no warning. The downside to that greeting though was now it was even harder to sometimes track down Reaper and he had become a master at not being found when he wanted to. The constant presence of Reaper at his side suddenly being a lot less had Genji feeling a bit of an ache but he understood why Reaper was doing it.

Still, it was another wrinkle in the group that could potentially turn into a tear. 

 

Genji sat on a bench, water bottle in hand as his shoulders let out hisses of steam. The intense training and work-outs Reinhardt had organized were rigorous even for his half-machine biology. Even Tracer was looking like she was being run ragged despite trying to keep her energy up. With so few of them answering the call, Reinhardt was more than a little overprotective and cited the training as just a way to make sure that they all had the skills to keep safe on battle. 

No one was going to get left behind if Reinhardt had anything to say about it. 

Despite this though, only a handful even showed up to training for the supposed team they were making. Genji always came but other than himself, only Winston, Tracer, McCree, and Zenyatta bothered to show up to train with Reinhardt. Hanzo had opted out claiming he was only here for a short time longer and Soldier 76 would flatly ask what the point of it all was or even what the point of Overwatch was anymore. 

Reaper just became a ghost and Mercy and Torbjörn always claimed they were far to busy in their personal work for now to really join steadily, coming in sporadically. Even then, neither seemed to have their heart in the training. Yet despite all this, Reinhardt continued forward with that spirit that could not be suppressed by a few hiccups in his plans. 

It just made Rienhardt try harder, push harder, and do his best to try and get them all together as not just friends but as a fully functional team.

“Everyone! Gather round! Let's do a proper debrief of today's training!” Renihardt hollered, gesturing grandly. 

Genji rose to his feet on tired legs but still moved to jog over to the large man, the rest of their small team of eager agents gathering around a fatigue mess. He crouched down, Tracer squatting down next to him and all but flopping against his side with a slight grin which he returned with a playful nudge as his face was hidden by his mask. Zenyatta didn't even bother to hover, too tired to focus and sat on the ground cross-legged. McCree all but sprawled out on the ground one hand resting on a bent knee and a cigar already lit up between his lips while Winston settled down just behind him.

“Good job today. Very good. I feel we are getting somewhere now,” Reinhardt declared, “But we need to go further and we need to try and convince our compatriots to join us!”

“Well, that's easier said than done,” Tracer said with a sigh, “We got workaholics or more the sort that seem to prefer to take thins solo,”

Reinhardt made a scoffing sound, “I've fought alongside most of those who are avoiding us now and I know they do better as a team than working alone!” he declared, “They just need to be reminded of the past!”

“Pretty sure a couple of them are running from the past,” McCree murmured with a shake of his head, “And one person here used to be an enemy of Overwatch,”

“I don't think my brother holds any sort of sore feelings over the toppling of the Shimada clan,” Genji crossed his arms, leaning over his knees as he continued to crouch, “He abandoned leadership shortly after my presumed death,”

“Regardless, we need to rebuild Overwatch anew. We are needed more than ever as the politics of the world shift once more,” Reinhardt cast his gaze around the group, “We need to regroup fully once more,”

McCree pulled the cigar away from his mouth to blow out a ring of smoke, “So where do we start? Seems the group is making it pretty clear they are not entirely on board, especially those not here,”

Reinhardt stroked his beard some, frowning in thought before his entire visage lit up, “We speak to them of course! Do our best to persuade them to our side and break through the barriers of their concern,”

The German cast his gaze over the small group before gesturing to Genji, “Genji, perhaps if you could speak to your brother and convince him to stay? I've seen him practicing alone and his aim is a great asset to our team,”

Genji winced some, although the expression was hidden by the expressionless metal of his mask, “My brother and I are...not on speaking terms good enough for that sort of talk. I doubt it would go well,”

“And given my person connection with Genji, I do not think I would be the best for that task either,” Zenyatta put in as he rested his hands on his knees.

Reinhardt gave a nod, stroking his beard again before glancing about, “Then I suppose it will then fall to you McCree,” he declared as he gestured to the cowboy.

McCree gave a start, sputtering some, the cigar nearly dropping from his mouth, “Me? Why me? I don't know what is going on in that head of yours, Reinhardt, but I'm not the sort that is good with new faces. I ain't no group greeter like you see at a supermarket,”

“Yes but you have that western charm!”the stalwart knight declared with a beaming smile, “I know your calm and excellent character will charm Hanzo Shimada to our side!”

Genji just turned his head some as McCree grimaced but knew his fate was sealed. When Reinhardt had an idea, it would take a crisis to change it even an inch, “Fine. I'll give it a shot I suppose but if I get shot in the ass by an arrow because of this, you are treating me to all the damn ice cream I want,”

“That is the only thing you are going to be able to eat practically,” Genji murmured.

Tracer gave a chuckle, “Speaking from experience?” She teased.

The cyborg turned his head to regard the young woman with a solemn nod, “I am in fact. Although it was an accident. I was more than a little drunk on New Years and got in the way of his shot when he was showing off his marksmanship. The good part was missing a whole week of school because I had to lay on my stomach for a while. Father was furious with Hanzo for that blunder,” 

McCree made a face, looking away, “I really don't want to experience that,”

“You will be fine! They were children when it happened and now they are much more mature!” Reinhardt gave a nod of his own, crossing his arms, “You will be fine McCree,”

“Are we sure Genji is no longer a child?” Tracer asked wit ha grin.

Zenyatta tilted his head some with a chuckle, “I think we all should keep a little bit of childhood alive in our hearts. Genji perhaps keeps a little bit more alive than most,”

Genji gave a snort and gave Tracer a light nudge, “You have me beat in being childish and don't you dare deny it!”

Reinhardt gave a chuckle, shaking his head while Winston cleared his voice some, pushing up his glasses, “So McCree tries to convince Hanzo, what about the rest of us?”

“Well, I will talk to Mercy about the situation and see if I can't get her to see reason while you, Winston, take Tracer and wear Torbjörn down. He can be a tough one to crack,” Reinhardt gave a chuckle turning to regard Genji and Zenyatta, “That leaves Reyes and Morrison then,”

“I can take Reaper. We are already rather close,” Genji volunteered, surprised when that earned a shake of the head from Reinhardt,”

“Too close and too personal. If he is to join us, it must because he wants to, not because you want to and it is appeasement. Nein, we need this to be soley his choice. Besides,I was hoping you could speak to Morrison,” the knight said, arching an eyebrow.

“It is sound advice,” Zenyatta gave a light nod,”Reaper needs to feel at peace with the choice and not feel like it was pressured. I can speak to him. I, at least ,am not in immediate danger from his touch or from being killed as I am not official part of the old Overwatch and friends with his boyfriend,”

There was a quiet snicker from Tracer and McCree gave an amused look while Genji just hunched his shoulders some, turning his head to give a look towards Zenyatta, “Zenyatta what did I tell you about-”

“Oh my mistake. Friend. Very close friend that you sleep with,” Zenyatta responded cheerfully but the bite to his words was there showing he still held his previous label of their relationship as the truth.

Genji gave a sigh, shaking his head before turning his attention back to Reinhardt, “I don't see why I need to speak with Morrison. I hardly spoke to him before. He always seemed so important and out of my league to speak with. Like I was a mere mortal speaking to a god of justice and moral standards,”

McCree gave a chuckle, “Must admit I felt the same. Even talking casually I felt like I had to watch what I said to not offend or say something he wouldn't like. Always on my best behavior as if he was some sort of male Athena come down to lead us to glory,”

Winston shook his head,a slight smile on his face, “He did play that role well. The picture perfect leader but now, he seems only a shadow of that image. A lot has changed over the years in him. Maybe though you can help Genji? You were the first to really speak with him and stop the fight if I was told correctly,”

“You were but I doubt jumping in between a death match counts as a conversation,” Genjii quietly said before heaving a sigh, “I will try my best but don't expect miracles,”

“You managed to seduce Reaper Genji. I believe in you being able to talk to anyone,” McCree put in with a lazy grin.

Genji gave a snort, “Whatever you say McCree. Good luck trying to get my brother to agree to anything but maybe you can bribe him,”

“With what? I get money in my account and its gone in a day it feels,” McCree grumbled as he moved to get to his feet.

Winston gave a snort as he lumbered up onto his own feet, stretching some,”That is because you spend it all on those awful cigars of yours,”

“Don't deny a smoker his satisfaction,” McCree chided moving to put the cigar out on the top of the trash can before hitting the switch to open the lid, “I get the lecture about how bad it is enough times a day when in the street. Smokers are pretty much the damn bane of the universe these days it seems,”

Reinhardt rose to his feet, clapping his hands together as he looked around eagerly at his group, “Right then! All of us have our mission! We need to get everyone on board if we are going to fight Talon next time they strike with the device! We won't let another city fall to their terror and we will show the world that heroes never truly vanish!”

Genji gave a small nod, shoulders slumped some as he rose to his own feet. He honestly didn't know where to begin with Soldier 76, the man who was once Morrison. He didn't know what he liked and anything he thought he knew about Morrison was probably long since out of date and buried under a bitter persona now. Every approach Genji could think of just felt too forced and no doubt would give off alarm bells to the cunning soldier. Morrison was not a fool, that was for sure. 

As if sensing Genji's thoughts, Zenyatta reached out as he slowly hovered into the air again, giving a reassuring squeeze to the cyborg's arm, “You'll do fine Genji. Don't over think it too much,”

“I will try not to master,” Genji lifted a hand to touch Zenyatta's own, taking comfort in his friend's words, “Be careful with Reaper. He may be a bit more docile, but he can become agitated quickly and aggressive if he feels someone is prying too much. The worse thing to do is to forget he can and has killed people in the past,”

“I will be careful, not just because his nature can be unpredictable, but also because he is important to you despite his past. There is so much trouble within him, I can see why you were drawn to his conflict. Underneath that exterior, there are larger concerns that need to be addressed,” Zenyatta gave a small nod and a final light pat to Genji's arm, “We both must tread carefully and see this mission through, for the sake of not only the group, but those souls that still suffering,”

Genji gave another nod to his dear friend, “Your words, as always, hold great wisdom. Perhaps I will meditate before I seat out Morrison to make sure my own mind is clear to best help,”

“A wise course of action,” The monk moved to fold his hands in his lap, “Now, if I may ask, where would you go if you were a rather dark clad individual looking to hide away from everyone?”

“Try my room. Knock on the door and he will answer it but he might just close it just as quickly with or without answering your question,” Genji warned. 

Zenyatta chuckled, “Duly noted but I have my own plan in the works,”Sill chuckling a bit to himself, the monk began to float off, rubbing his hands and Genji felt a slight twinge of pity for Reaper. When Zenyatta had a plan in his mind, the omnic monk could be quiet tricky about putting those plans into motion. 

Genji turned his thoughts away though from whatever Zenyatta had planned to his own quandary. The problem with all of this really hinged on the fact that Genji did want to speak to Soldier 76 but not about re-joining the rebuilding of Overwatch, but about Reaper. He wanted answers to what was going on between them. He wanted to understand just what exactly had gone wrong between them. Still, every approach to that topic as well ended with too blunt an approach that would no doubt put anyone on edge. A good meditation perhaps would help in focusing the question that needed to be ask.

The cyborg slowed his pace, in no real hurry to find the soldier as he mused on the problem at hand, carefully examining every angle. Genji wasn't completely out of his league when it came to talking to people, in fact he was very good at the art of conversation and it had been one of the greatest talents he had possessed in the past. In his youth, he had always had charisma with dealing with crime bosses who were visiting the clan and he was not called a playboy just because he looked good. No, the lifestyle of a playboy involved a heaping helping of knowing what to say and when to say it for the explicit reason of getting people to do what you wanted. It had been all about making “friends” to benefit his lifestyle and keeping the bed warm with a new body and giving the apperance of someone who was genuinely caring. It was a very different life he had led and sometimes looking back, Genji couldn't help but cringe at his behavior for how arrogant and hedonistic he had been at times.

Yet no matter how bad his behavior had gotten, it wasn't enough to honestly justify his execution.

Genji paused as he came out on one of the balconies of the second floor, the large atrium below that had once housed a more “public” area for tourists to come in and see the “workings” of Overwatch. The sight of the now dim and closed area, the gift shop long since emptied of any merchandise brought a bittersweet twinge to Genji's heart. He remembered having been there for a few of the tour groups, talking about Overwatch, signing autographs like some sort of celebrity and feeling absolutely out of place and wanting to scream at all of them as they stared him down like an animal in a zoo while he demonstrated the abilities of his new form.

There was some things in Overwatch he was glad were dead and gone. 

The sound of voices caused Genji to tilt his head some, leaning on the balcony banister some as he caught sight of McCree and Hanzo walking shoulder to shoulder and talking. Genji tensed before moving back, the glow of his body shutting off as he more or less pushed himself into the shadows and stilling every muscle. He had no doubt that if Hanzo caught sight of him he would not want to speak with McCree more and it might undo whatever work the cowboy may have gotten so far. A smile twisted Genji's face that was almost a sneer as swell of anger jabbed through him. 

They were brothers and yet here he was, having to hide away because the very sight of him caused Hanzo to close up and become solemn again. Genji was just a beacon of depression and ill will now to the elder Shimada it seemed, and that idea stung more than it should have. A lot more than it should have.

As the two passed on, Genji eased himself away from the wall and quickly made his way back into the base. He didn't know where he was going, nor did he care. He just wanted to find some place alone to meditate and bury everything again under a semblance of calm that he was finding was a lot more fragile a mask than he thought. Genji though was brought out of his turbulent thoughts as he turned a corner too quickly and collided into the solid form of Soldier 76.

The soldier didn't even move, halting in mid-step as he watched Genji stumble back, nearly falling over until catching himself at the last moment with inhuman reflects and neatly turning a backflip back onto his feet, his postured on the defensive some, “Genji,”

“Ah, good evening, Morrison ah, I mean, Soldier 76?” Genji straightened up like he was about to drop a salute, his hand half raised before he lowered it slowly, “You know, it is just easier to call you Morrison. Rolls off the tongue better,”

Soldier 76 was silent for a long while as he crossed his arms, his expression hidden by the mask he wore. Genji was early reminded of how Reaper acted when he was thinking about something, however , unlike Reaper, Morrison at least gave answers, “Fine. Guess it can't be avoided then,” he murmured.

“Okay then,” Genji responded, feeling like he had to say something back to keep things going but now the whole situation felt awkward. This was not how he wanted to approach the soldier, that was for sure. 

Genji cleared his throat, about to speak and bring up one of the usual small talk topics of weather or sports just to keep things going as it seemed he might as well try to get the soldier talking before he was interrupted by Morrison asking a question first, “Are you busy tonight?”

“Yes, I mean no, I mean,” Genji cleared his throat, one hand behind his back as he fell rigidly into parade rest on instinct, “I am not busy tonight,”

“If you have something else to do, you are allowed to say so. I'm not your commander,” Morrison's voice sounded tired, more tired than Genji had ever heard him speak.

Genji tilted his head, slowly coming out of parade rest and trying to act more natural, “I guess it is just strange not seeing you in command,” he admitted, “That seemed to be where you belonged but I digress, no I'm not busy tonight, just was...thinking some things over. Why? You have something in mind?”

“Guess just feeling a little lonesome,” the soldier admitted, “Seeing everyone again, hard not to think of the past and all the people I maybe didn't get to know was well,” his voice trailed off as he raised a hand to at last remove the mask.

The face below was undoubtedly Morrison's, just an older, more tired Morrison with the wrinkles of age and stress starting to prick at his features. All the spark that he used to have, that confidence that seemed to radiant off him that always made him look like he was posing for a poster or commercial were gone, hollowed out and leaving only the shell of the body, “Wouldn't mind some company for a run to the bar and maybe try to make up for a lot lost time,” he gave an awkward smile that seemed so out of place now on the face where it once sat so naturally, “I find it strange we never really talked in the past,”

Genji gave a slight laugh and a shrug, “To be honest, I was rather cold, distant, and so full of bitterness they could have made a salty coffee flavored drink out of me,”

That earned a twitch of a smile from Morrison as he turned on his heels, gesturing Genji to follow, “Still, sometimes looking back it feels like I was too far up on my pedestal to really know my team personally,”

The cyborg easily caught up, nearly walking at Morrison's side but hanging back just a bit, still unsure of what was going on but kept his tone friendly even if his expression behind his mask was still a bit reserved, “Oh come now. You must have had more than a few friends to rub elbows up and hang out with,”

“Not as many as you would think,” Morrison's tone was soft and quiet, as the tired smile became a bit more bitter as the moved towards the garage, “When you become the face of heroes everywhere, when you have the fame, everyone will be your friend, smile and give you things, but not a single one will ever want to know you. Sure they will praise you,but you'll still be alone in a sea of strangers,” 

“There is always someone though,” Genji put in, “Someone can always try to reach out,”

Soldier 76 was silent as he moved to the cab of one of the old vehicles sitting in the garage, old relics stockpiled and had been gathering dust before Torbjörn had started to restore them to their former glory. The vehicle that Morrison had picked was more a jeep for off road, shined up and the markings of Overwatch scrubbed off leaving it looking barren and as tired as the soldier now climbing into the cab, “Yeah well, when people try to get too friendly, that always seems more scary and easier to break a person. Especially after you lose the best friendship of your life,”

That gave Genji pause but he didn't ask about it as he moved to take a seat in the passenger side. Really Morrison seemed to have zoned out after he spoke, his eyes ahead, vacant almost, a tinge of sadness colored his entire demeanor. Genji knew that look. It was the look of someone who had had so many memories and such a bright future, someone who had had the world on a platter where nothing seemed impossible only to lose it all due to your own flaws. It was the look of someone who had destroyed themselves piece by piece before they had even realized what self-destruction they had bringing upon themself. 

It was a look Genji had seen in his brother that night when they met for the first time since his apparent death. 

The car ride was quiet but not in an awkward way. Genji knew if he asked any question, Morrison would answer it one way or another. He would be polite about any inquiries but something in that quiet seemed to gently indicate to Genji to maintain his silence. Perhaps it was Zenyatta's teachings or perhaps it was just Geni having grown more perceptive of the moods of others, but something in Morrison's demeanor spoke that there was something to say tonight, that he didn't just call Genji out here to talk about the past or try and catch up. 

Morrison had something to say that was eating away at him inside and in the quiet of the watchpost, surrounded by the relics of the past, confronted with faces that were just as worn as his, it was harder to ignore what he wanted to get off his chest after so many years. 

He pulled into the parking lot of a small tavern bar, a few trucks parked outside from the local farmers pulling in for a drink of their own in the late evening. Morrison turned off the engine and sat at the wheel, staring at the building, a small smile on his face, “I used to come here often when at the watchpoint,” He finally said at length, “Reyes and I used to always come here to have a few drinks. Well, at least for me. Reyes's vice was never drinking or smoking,”

“Oh? What was his vice then?” Genji asked, moving to exit the vehicle. 

The movement seemed to jolt Morrison out of his thoughts as he unbuckled the seat belt and exited the vehicle, “Gambling. Never knew when to stop and always thought he could win. Never thought he could lose and one loss was a set back, but he was an arrogant bastard and always felt he could win it back whenever he felt like it,”

Genji tilted his head thoughtful. He could see Reaper being the sort to gamble, putting all the cards in a plan that he was sure would work only because it was him doing the plan. Eve now, the dark mercenary seemed the type to take risky chances to get what he wanted, “Was he any good?”

“Luckily for him, he was very good,” Morrison gave a slight smile as he lead the way into the bar, “but when he lost, he always lost big,”

The interior of the bar was simple, a few old Overwatch posters and even a picture still reverently hung on the wall of Morrison and Reyes posing with the bartender, all three smiling with Morrison's large sloppy signature at the bottom joined by the more compact, neat flourish of Reyes own signature. On the wall across from the picture, the head of a large stuffed bull was perched above a false fireplace with a holographic fire cracking and popping. The bartender was a younger man, quietly cleaning the glasses with an air of boredom, flicking his gaze up before doing a double-take, eyes widening some as he caught sight of them. Genji hid the chuckle as he watched the young man look to the photo of a younger Morrison and then back to Soldier 76, his jaw hanging open some. Morrison didn't seem to notice, taking a seat and gesturing to the tap and holding up a single finger, “por favore,” he murmured in rather poor Spanish.

Genji took a seat next to him at the bar as the bartender quickly rushed to get the order Morrison had indicated as the old soldier glanced to the cyborg, “You want anything?”

“Trying to keep clean. The omnic drinks can still get me drunk and all, but,” Genji gave a small shrug, “I was a functioning alcoholic since I was sixteen and after Mercy saved me, I... might have been continuing that habit until I met Zenyatta to start to clean up my vices,” he stared at his hands for a moment before reaching up to click the mask off, “I just don't want to tempt myself again,”

“Fair enough. Really I should try to ween myself off the stuff,” Morrison admitted as the glass was placed down in front of him by the still starry-eyed youth. He gave the bartender a nod before taking a small sip of the frothed beer, before setting the glass down, “Alcohol was always a weakness in my family, passed down from generation to generation,”

“I never saw you as a drinker really,” Genji leaned on the bar some, ignoring the looks of the local farmers to the odd pair quietly huddled at the bar off in the corner, “At least you never seemed to drink in excess at banquets,”

That earned a quiet laugh from Morrison, “I keep my alcoholism private. Only person who knew it was a problem was Reyes. I managed to keep even Mercy in the dark, but Reyes?” he shook his head, “Harder to keep things from him. He is a bloodhound for people keeping secrets and then making it his business to know,”

That earned a slight smile from Genji as he gave a nod, “He does tend to know when you are unsettled about something,” the cyborg paused, looking to Morrison, “What happened between you two?”

Morrison was quiet as the question was finally asked, the question that many others shared. He quietly set his drink down, staring into the golden liquid for a long time, the only sound the quiet chatter of the bar and the whirring of the ceiling fan. The soldier looked up at the photograph of himself and Reyes with the owner of the bar, a look of sadness so deep, regret finding its way into his eyes even as he did his best to keep his face impassive, “A lot of things happened,” he finally said at length, dropping his eyes to his drink again, “A lot of things I've had to come to terms with and need to get out I suppose,”

“I had a feeling you didn't pick me out of the blue because you wanted to catch up,” Genji commented, looking down at his hands. 

“Not entirely no,” Morrison let out a soft sigh, “You two are close and if anyone deserves to hear it, its you. Reyes won't tell you. He never even told me half of the things about his life, at least not directly. Most of what he needs to say is always in the subtext, in what he doesn't say. The implications,”

The soldier paused, looking back up at the picture, “What happened between us, listen to anyone and they will say Gabe was to blame for it all. He was to blame for the fall of Overwatch, the slander, everything that went on, but honestly, I was to blame. I was to blame for not being there, too caught up in the limelight,” A bitter look crossed Morrison's face, his grip on the nearly empty glass of bear tightening, “I'm as much as fault as he was in the end,”

“Blackwatch always had a bad reputation and there is no doubt they were up to something and Reyes was there leader,” Genji glanced towards Morrison, “And you two did come to blows,”

Morrison didn't speak for a long moment once more, just staring at the picture. Genji wondered if he even would speak again until a small laugh escaped Morrison as he looked over towards Genji, “If you can believe it, Reyes and I used to live together you know? Never had an arguments and shared an apartment for the entire time we were in the military. He was always the better soldier and practically lived and breathed the military. Did ROTC in high school, had a closet full of military shirts, did all the extra training. Come home at night and he's doing sit-ups while watching TV, casually asking where you've been all night,”

Genji watched Morrison quietly as he just smiled a bit, fondly lost in those early memories of their friendship, “He was always ready to make some snarky comment about everything but if I was too drunk to get home, he was kicking in the bar door to drag my ass back to base. Honestly anytime I was in trouble, he was always the one getting me out, cussing me out in Spanish the entire time,”

“Sounds like you two were really close,” Genji softly said as he reached out to touch Morrison's arm gently.

“We were. We did everything as a pair. Some people were really questioning if we were secretly married,” He gave a small chuckle that faded as his expression falter some, “It was Overwatch that changed everything. He didn't want to do it at first. Didn't like the idea of having to be genetically modified. Felt too much could go wrong and was always on his high horse that he was good enough as he were to take on any threat. That was the first time we had a big argument,” Morrison paused to finish his drink before waving the bartender for another, “I convinced him to go with me in the end, but he was dragging his heels the whole time,”

Genji tilted his head some, “Odd, I always thought he was rather into Overwatch and what it stood for. Some said it was his jealousy of your position that made him go south,”

Morrison gave a snort, “Oh Reyes could be a jealous son of a bitch,but that wasn't what caused everything to wrong. There was more to it than just plain old jealousy,” he paused to take a long drink from his fresh glass, taking his time with his next words, “I told you before, Reyes was a gambler, he liked the thrill of the game, of testing the odds and his arrogance always led him to doing everything to prove he was right. Nothing pissed Reyes off more than losing or being proven inferior to anyone,”

There was a long pause once more as Morrison turned to look at Genji, “Overwatch was huge for him, no doubt about it. We were all in it together and he was always there with us and also was practically the tactical force behind everything. He was the brain of the operation from the start while me? I was the country farm boy with the good morals and head so far up in the clouds put on the stage and let myself get blinded by the fame to cater on my back legs like a performing dog,” 

He looked away as the tender put down another drink his jaw tensing, “Gabe felt something was wrong with Overwatch from the start. Always had a feeling. Said there were too many people in powerful positions pulling the strings on funding and where Overwatch was being deployed. I never believed him, thought he was making up shit to create rifts where none needed to be,”

Genji gave a nod. That much he knew. Gabriel Reyes always had been the one who had the “conspiracies” about the world, so it was said. Didn't trust anyone from what Genji could remember and always was the one causing trouble in the ranks and with those that affiliated with Overwatch. Thinking back, Genji himself had to admit he had always thought Reyes had been trouble, or at the very least, a bad egg in some regard because of those rumors, “So is that why he tried to oust you?”

“In the end, it wasn't about that,” Morrison took a pause, taking a long, deep drink from his glass, “I wouldn't listen to him so he did what he did best. He took a gamble and got in too deep and I just pushed him aside, labeled him merely jealous of what I had accomplished,” He grimaced, “Even though everything I ever accomplished was earned by stepping on his shoulders,” 

The silence fell again as Morrison glared into his drink, the frustration and anger coming out now although it wasn't directed at anyone other than himself. The self-loathing that was etched in his features so deeply. Genji didn't remove his hand from his comrade's arm, “That is what everyone thought though,” Genji remarked.

“Because that is what I told them. I slandered him. I saw myself morally better than him and for once, I was right. He wasn't commander, I was. All through training and our time in the military I was standing in his shadow but this time, I had surpassed my own role model. I was the one that was loved and adored,” Each word became more angry and bitter and Morrison's grip on his glass increased, “I let myself get led around, the picture prefect paragon hero. I became a preforming fucking monkey for the media. All of us did. We were heroes. We inspired but we also did their damn work and got pulled around by world politics,” 

He gritted his teeth before lifting his drink again, downing it in one gulp, gesturing for another, “How many times, Genji, did you stand there, smiling for the camera while feeling so empty inside? How many times did people adore the face they saw and just erased the person below?”

Genji quietly looked at his hands, clenching them some as the words hit a little too close for comfort. He didn't have to tell Soldier 76 the answer. The answer was there in the silence. Every flash of the camera to put his face on some robotics magazine as this “marvel of medicine”. Every interview where he had to demonstrate the capacity of human cybernetics and how it could help the world that felt like just another show for people to stare and point out everything that made him different than a human. He had been a medical miracle that was paraded around by Overwatch to show just how much good was being done to help the world and how even a Shimada could be reformed to the path of hope and justice. He was just a success story with a name, face, and body people liked to adore. Genji looked away, “I never thought it bothered you,”

“I'm a farmer's son from Indiana who never stood out in a crowd. Suddenly I'm everywhere. Suddenly I'm drinking more. Suddenly I stand alone in a room of so called friends. Suddenly....” his voice faltered some, looking up at the picture with a look of grief on his face, that stone mask slipping, “suddenly I'm sacrificing someone who was like my brother because of higher powers in an organization say he is too much of a liability,”

Genji's entire body went rigid at those words and he had to look away then, focusing his attention on anything else. That single sentence didn't' sound like Soldier 76 speaking anymore. It sounded like his brother. The regret and pain there, the grief at what was done but had seem right and only natural at the time. Here was another man, put on a pedestal and was destined to lead and be the face of a mighty empire and to secure it, had to remove the single element that everyone else saw as a problem. 

Brothers by blood, or brothers in arms, betrayal of that nature could not be simply forgotten.

Morison had a hand in his hair, staring hard at the counter, blinking rapidly as he gritted his teeth, “The shit I did for them. The governments, the ones in charge, everything and for what? I believed in it all Genji. I believed in the good we were doing,” his voice was cracking some, “But in the end? Gabe was right. He was always right about knowing secrets,”

Genji glanced his way, finding his voice again although it came out hollow even to his own ears, “What do you mean?”

“During that final fight, when the whole structure was about to go up, he saved me. In that final moment where he could have killed us both, he didn't. I never knew why. He didn't say why. Just pushed me out of harms way as I watched him fall through the floor to his apparent death, burried under that godforsaken place,” Morrison was staring hard at the wall, “After his death, I decided to see with my own eyes to understand why. Why did he do all this? He was my friend, jealous or not, and he never did a thing in his life without a reason. I picked up the trail and I had to confront the truth of the lie we had all lived,”

“Overwatch was a good thing. We inspired hope,” Genji argued, “We dismantled criminal organizations and-”

“The fall of the Shimada clan was the removal of a large power in the Japanese criminal underground as well as internationally,” Morrison interrupted, keeping his gaze on his drink, “Without that large power, many small criminal gangs increased up their aggression to take the place the Shimada clan left vacant, using weapons provided to them which gave the Japanese government what they needed to enact militant control and siphon money away into pockets of many of those “supporters” of our actions,”

Genji went silent, feeling a creeping cold start to seep into his blood as he look at Morrison as he continued, “Operations to stop Omnics in Australia which result in the meltdown of various plants was all planned in order to cripple the country completely for refusing to comply with economic trade agreements but we were made to look like heroes for the destruction. The list goes on Genji. The politicians pulled our strings and we danced to the tune. Every time Blackwatch did something to ruffle their feathers, they got made out to look like villains and we swallowed it up,”

The weight of it all started to press down on Genji's shoulder as he stared at his hands. No wonder Soldier 76 was bitter. No wonder so many Overwatch agents might have declined coming back. The politics that had driven the organization were there, always had been there. Genji hadn't even thought of what would happen should his clan fall but the chaos that had afflicted his country in the aftermath being a direct cause of his actions....

“But we did some good right? Overwatch was not just some political machine. The ideals we stood for were still there. You were not wrong to believe in those,” Genji argued although his voice was soft, sounding more like he wanted to convince himself of his own words, “None of us went into this wanting to do wrong. We wanted to help and to change the world for the better. Was that all a lie too?”

Morrison remained silent for a moment before giving a slight shake of his head, “No. No, those ideals? They stayed. They never died,” He reached out to clasp Genji on the back, “Because I see it here now, with you, with Reinhardt, with Tracer, McCree, and Winston. Just a small group that came back, having nothing, spitting in the face of the government...” he gave a rueful smile, “I think the fall of Overwatch was what was needed to find out what the heart of it was all along,”

A lot had changed about Morrison. He was no longer the man he used to be, that much was sure. He was older, tired, bitter, betrayed, and carrying the guilt of the world on his shoulders and now had come back to fight the entirety of the world for all it had done to him. One thing remained though, one glimmer of that figure that always kept the team together when the worse had occurred. When everyone else's spirit had broken, it was always Morrison who knew what to say to restore that hope again.

Genji gave a small smile back to Morrison and a small nod, “Well, I agree almost with that statement. You are missing a key point, “

“What would that be?” Morrison asked, arching an eyebrow.

The cyborg gave a grin and reached to put an arm around the American soldier, “You forgot yourself in that line-up. Also forgot Zeyatta but I'm sure he will forgive you,” 

Morrison stared at Genji for a moment before giving out a small bark of laughter, “Me? I doubt a tired old relic like me is what you need,”

“Reinhardt is a relic, Morrison. You still got a lot of life left and honestly? We need our leader back who says the right things at the right time. You still are the moral fiber of Overwatch, one of its founders and we can't come back without you,” Genji shifted to sit back, “Groups like Talon are not going to sit and wait for the government to make up its mind. Those criminal groups know they are being controlled and they are going to rise up and there won't be any Overwatch for the world to throw into the line of fire, not this time,”

Morrison looked at Genji for a moment before giving a slight smile, “What happens this time then?”

“This time we fight for our own sake and for the sake of those who don't have a voice to speak up. All those people we inspired, we do battle for them now,” Genji held up a hand, “And I would feel a lot better with Jack Morrison, Soldier 76,watching my back while I'm charging into the front lines,”

Jack Morrison, former commander of Overwatch looked at the hand for a long,long moment before lifting his own to grasp it, a faint smile on his face, an honest one that seemed to take years away from the age that had once been so apparent on his face, “That's a tall order given the trouble you get into,” 

Genji just gave a shrug, “Well, then you better show up to training and start team building with us, eh?”

Soldier 76 let go of Genji's hand with a slight sigh, “I suppose I should. Going to be odd at first to work with others again after going at it alone. I'm not who I used to be,”

“You get use to it and none of us are the same and perhaps that is for the best as we create a new Overwatch, “Genji paused, shifting some, “Reaper might show up so-”

“We will deal with each other but,” Morrison paused, letting out another sigh, “I think it is time to bury the hatchet, one way or another between us. We were friends but it has been so long since I've seen him as one. The memories are there but, well,” 

“Hey, a lot of us are trying to sort out issues,” Genji put a sympathetic hand on Morrison's shoulder, “Just join the club,”

Morrison gave a nod before looking at the five empty glasses on the bar before sighing, fishing out money to pay the tab, “Is it strange that I feel like I can name the very moment our friendship ended?”

Genji tilted his head as he moved to put his mask back into place, getting to his feet as Morriosn finished paying the bill, “What do you mean?”

“that moment that you remember so clear, that you can remember every detail they said as if you are reliving that moment over and over again, that moment when everything fell apart,” the soldier said as they headed out the door into the cool night air, the soft churring of the insects closing in around like a gentle melody, “I can remember exactly when the friendship between Reyes and I ended,”

The cyborg remained silent as he watched Soldier 76 move ahead to the door of the truck, gently resting one hand against the dull silver handle. He stood for a moment, staring at the handle before opening the door, speaking quietly, “When ever the other was too stressed or feeling like shit, it was our unspoken rule that we would ask the other to go fishing and we would drop everything to go out, sit alone by the old pond with a couple of beers and just forget about the world. Not once did we ever turn down a fishing trip. It was our time, just the two of us. How many times we did that, I can't even remember, but each time gave a new pleasant memory that just cemented our bond further,” Morrison began, “The last time he asked was the one time I ever said no,”

Genji silently approached Morrison as he gripped the handle, one hand pressed on the glass as he bent over some, his shoulders tensing, “I said no to him, just once and I saw it in his eyes, the betrayal right then and there. I just ignored it. I said no to the one thing we had always done together,” His voice was cracking some now with an anguish that touched deeper than could be imagined, “I said no,”

There were no words of comfort that came to Genji's mind in that moment. There were no words honestly that he thought could really offer any comfort. He simple stepped forward and pulled the soldier into a slight hug as Morrison valiantly fought off the tears that came with one too many drinks mixed with too many memories flooding back. He just held him for a bit, a friend to another friend, comrade to comrade and said nothing. 

Morrison's words though touched memories that Genji had thought he had forgotten. That one moment when everything fell apart.

A funeral. A rainy day in a village somewhere in the rural areas of Japan in a graveyard in front of a tombstone bearing the name of his father. Standing there in the rain feeling like the entire world had been pulled out from under him and his brother stood there, about to inherit the clan, trembling with angry tears mixing with the rain. Two brothers, both grieving privately, standing as strangers in the rain, not speaking or looking at the other.

The strangeness between them had not started with Genji's death no, but with the death of another. That single moment that was too clear to feel like a memory. 

It was a while before Morrison calmed down some, sucking in a breath between clenched teeth as he righted himself some, one hand roughly rubbing at his face. Genji maintained his silent although he stepped away to give Morrison his space again. The soldier let out a sigh, and a quiet laugh, “I'm a real mess aren't I?”

“You are in good company if that is the case,” Genji offered, trying to make light of things as he often did, “Usually I would say you shouldn't drive but since I never actually learned to drive,” he trailed off gesturing to the vehicle.

Morison gave a snort, a slight smile on his face as he moved to pull himself back into the driver's seat again, “I've driven drunker back on the farm in my youth,” he slammed the door shut as Genji got into the passenger's side, “Five drinks and I can still see the road fine and we don't have far to go. Just don't tell Mercy,”

“Its our little secret as strange drinking buddies,” Genji assured him, propping his feet up on the dash as Morrison started the car. 

The drive back felt different. There was a lighter feel to the air as if some heavy weight had lifted some. It wasn't entirely gone no, but the air felt better. Even with a few drinks in him, Morrison got them back in one piece, neither really saying a word. Genji crossed his arms, closing his eyes in thought. He thought of his master Zenyatta and what he would say about this. The omnic would offer some sort of parting advice that was for sure, something to start the healing process now that the wound was re-opened. Now that things could heal correctly as they should.

 

Genji knew what he had to say at last. 

 

As the car was shut off and Soldier 76 started to undo his seatbelt, Genji spoke up, turning his head to look at his comrade, “You know,” he began slowly, “You should ask him to go now,”

Soldier 76 paused in opening the door, turning to look back at Genji, “What?”

“Reaper. You should ask him to go fishing. He's been stressed by everyone of late and you did say, you always did go out when one or both of you was stressed. Reinhardt has a cooler of beer from Germany,” Genji clarified, tilting his head, “You should ask him,”

Morrison looked away, staring at the door before pushing it open and jumping out, “Maybe,” He murmured, his tone unsure,”maybe,”

A small smile touched Genji's lips as Morrison sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Thanks for the evening Genji. I needed it,”

“Thank you as well. You've given me some hope and some things to think about,” Genji gave a nod in return as he exited the car, “And maybe next time, we go out, we will have fonder memories and perhaps more company to toast our victory,”

Morriosn gave a soft laugh, “Another maybe there. Have a goodnight Genji,”

“You too Jack,” he paused before raising his hands, “That is if I can call you Jack?”

“Go right ahead,” There was a small smile on Morrion's face as he said those words, giving a wave as he headed off to his own quarters. 

Genji gave a hum, feeling a strange peace well up in him and he wondered if this was the feeling that Zenyatta spoke often of having when helping others .Holding onto that feeling, Genji turned on his heels to head back to his room, wondering if Reaper would be there and perhaps a bit anxious to see if he was in too black a mood after speaking with Zenyatta.

Reaper did not disappoint. He was sprawled out on the bed, stripped to his pants, listening to the soft sounds of Che, the voice of the music diva cuting through the air with a fury that only the music of the eighties could hold. Genji leaned in the doorway, taking off his mask with one hand and arching an eyebrow, “This is a strange seduction. I did not think Cher was the music of romance,”

Reaper didn't bother to sit up, only lifting one gnarled hand in a flippant, dismissive gesture,”Not in the mood and don't criticize Cher around me,”

“Not in the mood for what?” Genji asked, closing the door behind him and tossing the mask aside before moving to slide into the bed beside the other. He lifted his hands to play with the edges of the hood, staring down into the white mask, “I'm not a mind reader,”

There was no response from Reaper other than the mercenary raising a hand to push Genji to the side, grumbling as he rolled over. Genji tsked,moving to spoon up behind the larger man, smirking some, “You know giving me the cold shoulder doesn't work,”

“You get it from Zenyatta. You both are pests,” The mercenary growled, “You set him on me,”

“Actually, he wanted to set himself on you and I wasn't about to argue with my master,” Genji clarified, resting his chin on Reaper's shoulder, “You cannot deny my master when he wants to get his way,”

“Master,” Reaper scoffed, “Makes it sound like he owns you,”

Genji gave a grin, “Maybe he does. Maybe he likes to discipline me when I'm a naughty, naughty student,” 

That earned another snort from Reaper, the mercenary reaching back with one hand to pull Genji closer, “That's a lie,”

“It is and I'm sorry,” Genji chuckled, “The only punishment Zenyatta is going to give me is a very stern lecture and the most disproving pose imaginable and make me feel like I just made Buddha cry,”

“I'm surprised that is not always,” Reaper drawled,earning a laugh from Genji. 

The cyborg leaned up to press a kiss to Reaper's mask as the mercenary turned his head, one of his arms snaking about Genji's waist. Looking down at the mercenary, cuddled up like this, lazily having some banter with the weight of everything growing dimmer, there was a surge in Genji's chest and a warm, fluttering, giddy feeling stirring. He smiled at Reaper, wanting to say what was on the tip of his tongue but afraid and embarrassed to utter those words.

Instead he buried his face into the hood of the mercenary, wrapping his arms about his neck, “I missed you today,” He finally said.

Reaper was quiet for only a moment before turning his head, “You are so goddamn sappy,”

“And you indulge me,” Genji retorted, closing his eyes, just happy to be able to rest at last in the embrace of someone he was starting to care more about and coming to terms that his lover had his flaws, but knowing things could change for the better.

Reaper was arrogant and cocky, bloodthirsty when riled up and was not above killing people to get his way. Yet on the other hand, he did care about things in his own way, he did do things with reason and those reasons often were a surprise to find. He was considerate and although didn't speak much, always listened and was always there to comfort in his own awkward way. Not to mention, someone who fed stray cats like they were his lost little furry children couldn't be entirely evil.

Genji snuggled closer, groping over Reaper for the light switch, shutting it off and leaving them both in the darkness, “What did I do to deserve you?” he asked softly. 

There was no response from Reaper, only a rustle of the sheets as the mercenary turned over to face Genji, one hand coming up to touch briefly his face and Genji swore he felt a brush of something that felt like lips against his forehead or perhaps it was his imagination, “Go to sleep, brat,”

“Bah, fine but don't call me brat. McCree is the brat. I want a different nickname,” Genji responded, pressing himself into the embrace of the other as he closed his eyes, preparing to shut down.

“Fine,” Reaper murmured,”Tiene que dormir, mi cielo,”

The Spanish rolled off Reaper's tongue so fluidly, far more so than English with a rumbling purr with each caressed syllable and caress. Genji wasn't sure what he had just said, but it had meant something important if Reaper had taken the time to use Spanish. Even if Genji didn't understand the words, he knew the intention and the warm feeling that rose in his chest with those unknown, yet softly murmured words was the perfect feeling to go to sleep with. 

The blare of the alarm of his communicator however, was the worse sound to power up to, wailing away and forcing his systems online against his will. 

Genji let out a groan, turning to try and over ride the shrieking alarm against Reaper's bare chest, “Too early for this,”

“It is eleven o'clock in the morning,” Reaper responded shifting beside him, “and your com is going off,”

“Thank you commander obvious,” Genji's voice came out muffled against his chest, “I know,”

Genji turned his head some, blearily staring at the wall trying once more to chime the noise off only for it to get louder and indicate helpfully that he was being called to a meeting of agents. All he wanted was to ignore it and just roll over but the sound wasn't stopping and Reaper, it seemed had had enough of it as well for soon Genji was letting out a squawk as he was shoved out of the bed unceremoniously by the mercenary. 

Genji caught himself on the floor, sending a glare up to Reaper who just stretched out some as he sat up, “Your com is ringing,” he stated again as if that was reason enough for what he just did. 

The cyborg grumbled before accessing the comm with an irritable “what?”

“No need to get all aggressive on me. I'm just the messenger, well comm man. Calling a meeting to discuss our next move and Mercy and Winston got some details on that device they pulled out of ya they want to share with everyone,” McCree explained and Genji could just imagine the cowboy standing somewhere right now, holding his hands up a bit defensively in reaction to the cranky tone Genji had used, “Didn't mean to interrupt you if you were, you know...”

“I'll be there in five minutes. Give me time to wake up,” Genji grumbled before clicking off the comm, scowling to cover up the embarrassment. 

First Zenyatta. Now McCree. Soon Reinhardt would be asking and that was saying something as the German knight tended to be the least attentive to social interactions between others, so devoted to his work and passion as he was. Genji heave a sigh, sitting up from the floor and sitting cross-legged now, still frowning, “We got a meeting to go to,”

“Ah,” Was the simple reply from Reaper as he got up off the bed. He didn't ghost his way into his clothes like he usually did, actually taking the time to put them on the old fashion way. Genji watched, letting a slight smile touch his lips at the care in which Reaper was taking to get dressed, all fluid lines pulling on that form-fitting leather....

“I would rather be taking your clothes off than watching you put them on,” Genji murmured slouching forward, “Just saying,”

Reaper just coxed his head,clicking the last belt into place, “Maybe later,”

Genji perked up a bit at that comment, giving a slight sly grin, “Is that a promise then?”

The mercenary remained silent before simply moving to the door, opening it. Only then did he pause and look over his shoulder, “No,” he said flatly before heading out. 

The cyborg gave a huff, getting to his feet to follow after his companion, “That is low Reaper. Get my hopes up of you putting those hands to work again and then just to be shot down,”

“I can shoot you down now if you want,” Reaper replied, crossing his arms as he walked.

Genji eyed him warily before dropping his gaze down to the double shotguns, “See I meant it in a not so literal sense but I know you mean it that you would shoot me if I asked you to and my answer is no, please don't shoot me. Let's not undo all our good work we've gotten so far and go back to square one,”

Reaper just gave a dismissive snort as he continued along, taking his time and making a rather dramatic entrance into the room, slamming both doors open, pausing to look around the room as if a lion surveying his domain before moving to take a seat next to McCree, crossing his arms. Genji gave a sigh as he came in next, “Ladies and Gentlemen and those of identity in between, I give you the edgelord,”

The mercenary responded with a quick flash of the finger of honor in Genji's direction earning a snicker from the cyborg as he took a seat next to a rather amused looking Zenyatta. Mercy and Winston were at the head of the table joined by Reinhardt who, after casting a gaze around and noting everyone had arrived including Soldier 76 and Hanzo. A full house that seemed to please the veteran of Overwatch, “It is good to see everyone here,” he began, smiling wide, “I am sorry to have awoken you so early, but the doctor has made a breakthrough with Winston on a few things about our elusive enemy, Talon!”

He gave a nod to the two, Mercy politely smiling back and Winston giving a small nod. Reinhardt returned both the smile and the nod before turning his attention to the group, “I felt it was important to see what they have to say and get back into the game swinging,”

“Sounds good to me! I've been getting anxious to see some action and see how are training will pay off!” Tracer gave a wide smile as she leaned on the table, “So what have we found?”

“I hate to put a damper on the mood, but the first bit of information may be a bit concerning,” Mercy began, folding her hands on the table, her expression serious, “The device found in Genji was a monitor of some sort, recording, more or less, Genji's movements and position and transmitting them to Talon. Along with that, it seemed to have been taking reading of his system outputs as well,”

Genji grimaced, “I feel so violated right now, just saying,”

“But if it was transmitting where he was than Talon will know where we are, won't they?” Tracer asked, worry clear in her tone. 

“If they didn't know already. Most Overwatch locations were outed to the public to make it harder for Overwatch to ever gather again,” McCree pointed out.

Soldier 76 leaned forward on the table, his expressions once more hidden by the mask he wore, “But they wouldn't know for sure which dilapidated stack of rubble we were hiding out in. This position is insecure,”

“Indeed,” Reinhardt agreed, “So we need to make plans to pick up and move base, the only problem is, as McCree pointed out, nearly all the locations Overwatch had were outed to the public, that is except one group of bases,”

“Blackwatch bases,” McCree finished “Our jurisdiction kept us separated from Overwatch and the locations of Blackwatch bases were only known to members and of course, our commander,”

He gave a side-eyed look to Reaper who remained silent, only crossing his arms. McCree gave a slight sigh before turning his attention to the others, “I know a few small places to buckle down in, but I know for a fact Blackwatch had some huge bases with the works. Most agents even in Blackwatch were only told locations on a need to know basis,”

There were more than a few pairs of eyes linger on Reaper who just tilted his head, “The base isn't the big concern,” He finally said, dodging the topic all together, “Those readings on Genji's mechanical make-up is practically a blueprint for human cybernetics,”

Mercy bit her lip some while Winston gave a slight nod, “That is nearly true. Although they don't know the exact components or how much of Genji's body is actually cybernized as well as other details, with that information, they could make...attempts,”

Genji felt a cold dread settle in his stomach as his entire body tensed, “You mean experimenting on live targets,”

“Talon has no shortage of lab rats,” Reaper drawled, “and they have no qualm about putting even the failures in battle,”

The cyborg stared at his hands. For him it had been hard enough to adapt to the lifestyle of a cyborg and the sacrifices that came with it, but in the end, he had made the choice. Talon was not going to give that offer to their shock troops. They were not going to take the time to get all the details when they had enough information to try and copy the process. It was enough to make Genji feel physically ill.

“So, super soldier cyborgs and they know where we are hiding. You better have some good news next or I reckon we might be heading up the Colorado river rapids without a paddle in a barrel,” McCree murmured, moving to light his cigar. 

“We do,” Winston gave a faint smile, “Athena and I were able to track the signal to where they were transmitting and hack their systems to get information on multiple location of Talon bases of operation as well as information on where they will be striking next with the device they call the harpy amplifier. It uploads pirate codes into devices to give Talon supreme control, able to hack into the minds of omnics, a leap forward from where things stood before,”

Mercy gave a nod, “and I was also able to conclude that the doctor behind is known as Zachery Bolgriv. Used to be an operative that was part of the criminal organization known as Nano Sect,”

“Nano Sect, I remember those idiots,” McCree murmured, “Blackwatch did a hit on them and wiped them out,”

“Rats always get through the cracks,” Reaper put in coldly, “The organization was gone but only a fool would think their research heads didn't find someone else to fund their projects,”

“Indeed,” Winston frowned some, “And seems they've gone from nanoviruses to working on cybernetics and the harpy amplifier. They are going to test it again, although I couldn't get the location of the device, I was able to get the name of a top Talon commander who will be looking to sell their data on cybernetics and their prototypes in a black market auction,”

Genji frowned, “So what? We bust in and get the data, interrogate the commander for information, and get out?”

“Not that simple I'm afraid,” Winston let out a sigh, clicking on the keyboard on the table, loading up a holographic image of the target, “He will be surrounded by the biggest names in criminal history and their guards, all the big rich families,” 

Hanzo frowned, raising a hand thoughtfully to his chin, “The typical way to sell illegal armaments that are a bit harder to find than the usual weaponry. No doubt Talon wants to be the uniting criminal force in the world. This a gesture that might indicate they are building more than just a terrorist group, they are building an empire,”

Tracer bit her lip some, “Then what is the plan?”

“Simple,” Reaper answered, tilting his head, “You join in and infiltrate. Outbid the rest, get the gain while a secondary strike team gets in undetected to set a virus on the system to destroy their data. Talon will not be transporting prototypes too far from the main labs,”

“Its too risk, especially with the hit that was pulled on them by us,” Soldier 76 murmured, “Infiltration of that magnitude is going to be tricky,”

“We got two ex-blackwatch agents with us though right?” Zenyatta spoke up, raising a hand, “This must count for something yes?”

McCree grimaced some, “There are ways to get in but going to take a lot of planning and work to get us all looking our finest,”

“Well, we have some time to plan,” Reinhardt gave a firm nod, “This gathering is in a few days giving us time to first worry about moving our base of operations. McCree, what is your suggestion since you will be showing us to a Blackwatch cache?”

The bounty hunter sighed about to respond before he was interrupted by Reaper, “There is a large Blackwatch outpost located in the Alps. An underground bunker designed to be solar power and to be a fall back if the Swiss headquarters ever fell,” The mercenary growled out, “I'll give you the location code and passcodes to get in,”

“We will test them first and send a small party ahead to check this claim,” Winston's eyes narrowed some as he regarded the mercenary with obvious distrust, “Myself, Torbjörn, and Reinhardt will take a look and report back in the morning if it is suitable,”

Reaper gave a dismissive, unimpressed tsking sound, looking away but went silent once more. Genji just offered a slight smile and nudge to Reaper to indicate he, at least marginally trusted Reaper wasn't selling them out. Tracer gave a small smile, looking around the table, “Seems we have sort of an idea of what to do,”

“Not a very good idea for a group looking to take out Talon,” Hanzo commented idly.

“Most things we do are a work in progress, partner. You learn to just go with the flow,” McCree gave a slight chuckle, looking around, “I guess with Rienhardt, Winston and Torbjörn off to adventure, the rest of us are on guard duty in case Talon shows up,”

“Ah! It is good to have a clear objective once more!” Reinhardt declared, beaming despite the fact the plan they had was still barely formed, “Then let us be to our task then. If anything happens, make sure to contact myself, Winston, and Torbjörn yes?”

“Will do!” Tracer gave a quick salute earning a deep laugh from the old knight.

Genji gave a slight smile although he couldn't shake that unease about the whole fact he had been more or less hacked, or at least his readings stolen to make twisted cyborg creations. It didn't sit well with him at all.

As Reaper rose to his feet, Winston approached him warily, the two eying each other before Reaper murmured the passcodes to Winston who gave a short nod recording them. No other words were shared and in the blink of an eye almost, Reaper was again at Genji's side, shoulders hunched and looking more than ready to get out of the room. The cyborg offered a smile, reaching out to touch his arm, “They are still warming up to you,”

Reaper just gave another snort, not saying a word as he turned to regard Genji, silent as always, crossing his arms with a posture that showed he didn't really believe a word Genji was saying, “Let's just go,”

“Go where? What exactly is your plan for today for us?” Genji asked, glancing up at his darkly clad companion, arching an eyebrow.

 

Reaper tilted his head, looking like he was about to speak before his entire body tensed as Soldier 76 approached uttering a single name to get the attention of the mercenary, “Reyes,”

For a long moment the mercenary just stared at Morrison who glanced away, “Wanted to ask,” he began slowly, as if unsure of the words coming out of his own mouth, “I wanted to ask if you were up for some fishing. Been a hell of a week,”

The reaction from Reaper was immediate and Genji took a step back in alarm at how rigid the mercenary went as if he had been shot, taking a step back some, in honest shock before hunching forward like an animal ready to attack. Smoke flitted over his claws as if he was about to summon his shotguns as he eyed Soldier 76, almost expecting some sort of trick.

The only response from Morrison through all of this was to lift a hand to remove his own mask, revealing that tired expression. There wasn't any hopeful gleam in his face, nothing that would show he was expecting Reaper to say yes. There was almost a defeat about him that clung to every trace of age he was showing, “And it was my turn to ask if I recall,”

“It is,” Reaper managed out, spitting out the words. Even his tone was different, a strange mix of outright anger, confusion, and something else that was much harder to place. 

The smoke began to dissipate as Reaper lowered his hands, clenching them into fists and keeping his gaze fixed slowly on the soldier, “Fine. Just the two of us,” Reaper sneered out, every word tripping with contempt, “Just like old times,”

For a brief moment Reaper looked at Genji, giving a long searching stare before turning away, bringing his attention back to Soldier 76 as he approached, a tired smile on his face, “Fine then. Things will get settled one way or another then I suppose,”

The only response from Reaper was a low growl as he turned on his heels, walking towards the exit of the base.

Genji stepped back further from the two as the two departed, shoulder to shoulder, both their postures tense, Morrison shouldering his own gun while Reaper kept his hands flexed as if ready to draw his own at any moment. The chance for violence was there, yet there was no move from the cyborg to stop them. Not this time.

He stood and watched them go, forcing himself to relax and not worry. One of them could very well die. The two had tensions that had been mounting since they met, pushed aside for the mission, but at the end of the day, something had to give. There could be a fight and the thought of either of them getting injured because of it made it hard to not worry about what would happen. Still the cyborg knew this was what had to come to pass. One way or another, as Morrison had said, the hatchet between them needed to get buried. 

Genji jumped a bit, looking to the side ad Zenyatta touched his arm, “This part of the path they must walk alone,” he said softly, his tone though carrying sympathy. 

The cyborg took a deep breath and held it briefly before letting it out, “I know master. I know,” he gave one last, long look at the backs of the two departing men, “There are some things that I cannot help him with. Right now, only they can save themselves from the violence in their heart but,” he trailed off, closing his eyes.

“But it doesn't make it hurt less to know those you care about will be facing a difficult confrontation that could end their life,” Zenyatta finished, reaching up to cup Genji's face in his hands, “I know the feeling well. It was the feeling I got when you went to speak to your brother the first time,”

“Did you think I would die?” Genji asked quietly, reaching his hands up to touch the cool metal of his master's hands, closing his eyes some, “Or did you think I would give into the hate and seek retribution upon my brother?”

“I did not think you would give into hate,” Zenyatta stated firmly, “What I feared is you would give into sorrow and let yourself come to harm as if you feel you deserve to be hurt and do not deserve any peace. You are my brightest student and my dearest friend. If there is anything I thirst for in this life,it is for you to find your happiness and place once more. Your own tranquility,” 

A hint of a smile made its way onto Genji's face, although his eyes remained closed, “I never really knew what that tranquility would be to be honest. In my early days, it seemed to be a stoic, calm place. Natural and as beautiful as the landscapes of untouched earth and nature. I felt dedicated to the dogmas, but now,” he opened his eyes, turning his head just a bit, “It seems that peaceful place is becoming occupied by others,”

“A good thing. You cannot grow a garden with a single rose bush,” Zenyatta gave a soft chuckle, “You are growing and becoming more self assured. It gladdens me,”

The monk lowered his hands from Genji's face, the cyborg still holding onto them lightly as he gave a quiet laugh, “Am I growing?”

“No one truly stops growing as a person. Some may grow a bit in a strange direction, twisting themselves or carry the burns and scars of the past, but every tree can grow tall to spread its leaves towards the sun,” Zenyatta gave a gentle squeeze, “Would you like to join me for the morning prayers?”

“I would like that, yes,” Genji answered quietly.

It had been a while really since he had been more formal in his morning prayers. With everything going on, it had been hard to establish a routine. Now though, hand in hand with Zenyatta they entered the monk's room where a small altar was already set up, carefully being tended to by the omnic monk. Once the two were kneeling comfortably in front of the idol, the fresh fruit already placed at the feet of the little statue, Zenyatta began the soft prayers in his native Nepalese then switched to the same prayers in Japanese.

In his youth, Genji had never been attentive to religious rites or practices nor had any care for it all. As far as his young mind cared, those sorts of things were for the elderly and those with too much time on their hand and believing too much in higher powers for miracles. Now though, there was comfort in the rites that eased the mind and took the edge off the worry and stress that welled up in him. 

It inspired hope for him that those happy fairytale endings that his father always talked about could come true and defy the pessimistic darkness of the world. 

Zenyatta's voice rose and fell like an ocean of calm as Genji began to slowly find his own voice again, following along in the prayers himself in his native tongue. Just hearing Japanese again also brought another layer of comfort and a sense of home and belonging for the moment. Still, he worried about Reaper and Soldier 76. There was so much pain there that had laid heavy and untouched for years. Neither had let it go obviously and now, confronted with each other and confronted finally with the one chance to make it all right again or end each other permanently....

Genji forced his focus on the words he said, the rhythmic chants, and closed his eyes as he repeated those words and over and over again. His own personal mantras that he had created with Zenyatta's help to ground his mind and bring a balance once more to the storm of his thoughts. 

For how long he spent there half in prayer, half in meditation, Genji was not sure but the sound of a knock cut through the air causing him to pause, blinking and looking up. Zenyatta didn't seem to notice finishing the chant he was on quietly at his own pace before stopping, tilting his head towards the door, “Come in,”

The door opened to reveal Mercy who gave a slight apologetic bow of her head, “I don't mean to disturb you ,” she trailed off, looking aside but keeping that pleasant smile on her face.

“You are fine. Is there something you needed?” Zenyatta asked politely, folding his hands in his lap.

“I just needed to ask Genji a few questions. In my lab if that is all right? They are a tad bit personal and require some discussion of my current research,” Mercy explained, “If that is okay?”

“Oh?” Genji tilted his head some, brow furrowing some, “All right then. I'll meet you in your labs in a few moments if that is all right?”

“That is fine. Really there is no rush,” She gave a gentle smile and a nod before excusing herself from the room. 

Zenyatta tilted his head some, raising a hand to tap his chin lightly, “I think she seemed rather tense and this request, seems rather strange to need to meet in the labs to inquire about it,”

“Probably something medical related,” Genji murmured, “Doctor confidentiality and all. Mercy is ever a professional,” 

“If you insist Geni, but still, I believe there is more to what she is saying,” The monk rested his hands on his knees thoughtfully, “Do you think she would mind if I came along? I have been interested in seeing her research in the healing arts,”

“Don't think she will,” Genji slowly got to his feet, stretching some to work out some of the kinks in his body before heading out towards the labs, “She tends to be very meticulous about details so if you weren't allowed, I think she would have spoken up about it,”

The monk gave a small nod as he hovered beside his student, “Excellent. Let us be on our way,”

The walk to Mercy's lab was uneventful and quick, the two entering the lab to find Tracer bent over and tapping a container on the counter were a black swirl of what seemed to be some sort of smoke from a distance moved about trying to get through the container rather aggressively while Mercy was quietly examining something under her microscope, engrossed in her work. 

Tracer looked up, giving a smile and a wave to the two, “Hey Genji and Zen,”

“Greetings Tracer,” Zenyatta returned with a nod, “Doing well?”

She gave a shrug with a small smile, “Can't complain. Just dropping off a deliviery Mercy requested. Had to fly out rather quickly to get it from the drop point. Strange little thing. Seems so angry,” She pursed her lips, tappin the glass again, the smoke like mass throwing itself at where her finger was, trying to get out, “Mercy won't tell me what it is exactly though,”

Genji arched an eyebrow before turning his attention to Mercy as the doctor looked up from her work with a smile, “That was fast. I would have waited for the two of you at the door if I had known you would be right behind me,”

“Eh we took a more scenic route anyways,” Genji responded, giving a wave of his hand and a smile, “But regardless, what is this big secret favor you need to ask of me?”

Mercy's smile faltered some as she leaned on her elbows some, folding her hands in front of her, “Well, I know this may seem odd but, if at all possible, I need you to get a sample of Reaper's blood. If you could also manage a sample of his skin, that would be an added boon,”

Genji blinked, staring at Mercy silently for a long moment as Tracer and Zenyatta shared a glance. Mercy just kept her look impassive and professional, patiently waiting for Genji's response. 

“Why do you need his blood?” Genji finally said at length, frowning some and giving the medic a suspicious look, “And why do you think he is going to completely okay with me sticking a needle in him and drawing his blood? Pretty sure he is going to mind. Rather violently so,”

Mercy let out a sigh, rising to her feet, a concerned expression on her face, “I wanted to ask you as you could maybe convince him to donate some. Honestly I would rather have him in person,”

“Yeah, pretty sure he not want to be anywhere near you as he seems to hate you a lot Mercy, no offense. Not to mention didn't you sort of already have a bad falling out of experimentation already?” Genji frowned, his tone coming out a bit harsh, even to his own ears but really the request was so strange, “But you still haven't told me why,”

the medical officer moved over to the counter Tracer was at, reaching a hand up to touch the side of the container, the contents launching itself at the sides where her hand was as if it could get to her, “That terrible tragedy of a medical procedure is the reason I need a sample Genji. I managed to get a small sample and was able to look at some preliminary tests and well,” Her expression hardened, “his genetics are terribly unstable,” 

“Unstable?” Genji echoed before shaking his head,scowling, “Wait, how did you get a sample of his DNA anyways? I'm pretty sure you couldn't get within a foot of him before he would try to cause you harm and I am pretty sure I would've heard about it,”

Mercy stared at Genji, her look impassive but the intensity of it was enough to make Genji take a small step back, feeling a bit uncomfortable, “What is that look about?”

“Do you really, really want me to say how? Do you want me to explain how I got it during your first check-up here?” Mercy said slowly, “Because if you insist, I will most certainly give you the clinical details,”

Genji put a hand to his chest, confusion on his face, “You found it on me during my,” his voice trailed off as realization dawned on him, “Mercy! That is just....! Ugh! Why did you do that?!”

Mercy gave a sigh, shaking her head and all but rolling her eyes at Genji's reaction, the cyborg taking a seat and crossing his legs tightly and crossing his arms as if trying to defend his personal space even further, “You were the one who had to know and I was doing a system cleaning. I wanted to take a look at his genetics,”

“We were friends Mercy. That is the kind of stuff that destroys friendships,”Genji grumbled, “You are lucky I respect you still as a medical professional,”

Zenyatta just looked between them and tilted his head, “What exactly-”

“It is a very personal secret that Mercy, as a friend, is going to take to her grave and we will never speak of this again,” Genji interrupted, his words clipped and his accent a little bit thicker as he spoke a little too quickly, “Moving on to the problem at hand, I'm not going to be able to get you Reaper's blood. For one thing, I am not going to lie to him and second, he won't donate any,”

A frustrated sigh escaped Mercy her shoulders tensing up, “You don't understand Genji, it is a miracle he is even still alive and able to function. All it would take is one flaw,one miscommunication between his cells and he could self destruct in a moment!”

The room went silent after her words other than the strange hissing from the moving clicking swarm in the jar. Tracer gave a small cough, looking between everyone, opening her mouth as if to speak before slowly closing it and looking away. 

“Well, that seems rather terrible,” Zenyatta's voice broke the silence as he folded his hands in his lap, “What makes you say that if I may ask,”

“He shouldn't be alive as is but,” she gestured to her microscope, “his genes have mutated extensively beyond anything I've ever seen. Completely fused with the nanites so it is hard to really tell apart the biological from the mechanical. A cellular level cybernization of this degree has never been achieved and has only ever been theoretical...but even then, it is so unstable and barely holding together,”

“And uh, how can his blood help?” Tracer asked slowly, tilting her head, “Why do you need it?”

Mercy looked down at strange swarm moving about in the jar before picking it up, “Because last time I used the nanovirus that was modified to be a healing agent on him it backfired because I did not take into account the genetic modifications he went through in the US military, “ she looked at the jar, her gaze softening as remorse welled up into her expression, “The injection resulted in a sudden, rapid spread of the nanovirus throughout his body as he both rejected and accepted it. The exact details I am not sure of. He...reacted quiet violently and killed most of the staff on his way out of the facility. We presumed he had died and destabilized completely as his form was rapidly fading as he moved, becoming a cloud of what we thought was dust,”

Zenyatta looked down at the sample, giving his head a slight tilt, “Then this sample here, would it be right to assume it is a sample of that same nanotech virus?”

Mercy nodded, “The last pure sample. It is all that is left of the original virus and once I have a larger genetic sample from Reaper, I can start experimenting on how to modify this last pure sample to more or less work as a stabilizing agent,”

“It is omnic in nature,” The monk commented, raising a hand to tap the side with a single finger, the mass inside not reacting to the omnic's presence, “You can almost hear a buzz. That would explain what I hear around Reaper then,”

“It is the first and last virus of its kind. The process was too expensive and often didn't yield results and are far too easy to change the programming of. Reaper though,” she looked towards her microscope, “His biology is a complete fluke of nature. The irony is no one truly understands the how. I'm sure if Talon knew exactly what Reaper was he would be taken apart in a lab,”

Genji grimaced, “That is the very reason he isn't going to want to be in your lab Mercy,”

The medic pursed her lips, a slight touch of hurt to her expression that she tried to cover up as she moved to her microscope, “I want to help him. I cannot undo the process, Reyes is fused completely to the nanites. Trying to separate the two components would be lethal at this point, but can at least give him more finite control,”

Tracer tilted her head, “What do you mean by that? Seems like he has no problem controlling himself when he goes all foggy,”

Mercy tapped a few keys on the microscope pane the room dimming as a screen lit up, showing what she was studying. Carefully she picked up her staff and brought it up to indicate the two samples on the board, starting first with the one on the left which was a healthy red color, “These are normal cells of a human. Nothing fancy, but here,” she gestured with her staff to the other sample, “Those are Gabriel Reyes's cells,”

The indcated samples were clearly not healthy, not a red color but instead a white, translucent shade with traces of black through out the cell, the nucleus seemed to have been replaced by a small machine that was twitching sporadically with those cells around it, linked up tighter and pulsating with metabolic activity. The cells were still alive even though they were separated from the host body, defying conventional knowledge of biology completely. Even Genji had to admit the sight, while alarming, was a fascinating discovery. Tracer gave a slight shudder, “So is he a machine then?”

“Yes and no,” Zenyatta spoke up, “Although components of the cells are fused to omnic based technology and seems to possess a primitive intelligence, not unlike that of ants or bees in a hive, they are fueling actual biological processes, creating energy and keeping him alive. It is rather fascinating. Reaper must eat often to fuel such metabolic rates,”

“I've never seen him eat,” Genji glanced away, fearing the explanation he might receive for saying that out loud.

The medical officer pressed a few switches on the control panel, the screen flickering to show the carcasses of animals, seemingly drained of all life, everything ranging from small rodents to even a few cattle, “These have been showing up around in the surrounding area. They appear to have aged and decomposed rapidly, drained of their life. These are in line with reports of human targets found after Talon hits where Reaper may have been present.Reaper feeds all right, but in an... imperfect way that may be another hint to large issues internally,”

Tracer covered her mouth, eyes wide in alarm at the pictures while Zenyatta stiffened some, even his serenity a bit unnerved. Genji looked away, “What do you mean?”

Mercy flicked the screen back to the shots of the cells, reaching to press a switch, jolting electricity through the sample of Reaper's cells. They dissipated, scattering before realigning and returning to their sporadic twitching, “Part of whatever AI is in the cell will put themselves back together in a physical form, however, in this sample, that is sporadic at best and never quiet the same order as if the cells themselves aren't sure where they align to. Reaper comes apart and puts himself back together physically, I feel, through sheer will power and knowing what he mostly physically looks like. That doesn't count internal organs. He might be coming together completely wrong inside, causing him to be unable to biologically function, hence the higher metabolic rates of the cells. Literally each cell has to work ten times the usual effort and die at accelerated rates while being reincarnated at just as fast a rate. For now, this process is is in equilibrium, but at some point....” she trailed off, her voice growing faint, “At some point he won't be able to balance it out anymore,”

“And he will completely destabilize right?” Tracer asked quietly, looking at the ground, “Will he explode or-?”

“Mostly likely he will simply start to rapidly vanish like blowing sand in the wind. That is the point where he will start to come undone physically but may be able to maintain semblance of his shape. Mentally, though,” Again she trailed off, eyes closing.

“I is a matter of self awareness,” Zenyatta murmured, “As long as Reaper maintains he is, in fact, Gabriel Reyes and maintains that the memories he has are his own, he can maintain a shape. However if that begins to fade then, like many early omnics, they will simply cease to exist mentally. As if the soul and mind have fled leaving a husk,”

Mercy gave a small nod, “I think Reyes's mind acts as a sort of guidance for the whole system, the central mind and that the AI might have imprinted off of him, the two becoming one entity, Reaper. His will holds it all together, his self assurance that he is who he thinks he is,” 

Genji felt his entire body go numb as they discussed Reaper's precarious situation. Their voices seemed to grow muffled, almost distant as a single thought came to dominate Genji's mind now. 

Did that mean one day Reaper would just be gone? Just vanished into thin air, a mass of blackness that had no sense of anyone and would forget everyone entirely?

Slowly Genji sunk back against the wall, staring hard at the ground, “So how long does he have?”

“IT depends on his self-awareness,” Mercy looked at the cells, sorrow clear in her eyes, the look of someone helplessly watching as someone in need of their aid suffered, “And the way he feeds is introducing trace DNA of all victims, complicating the instability even more. Not to mention all the metal he stores from guns and other objects. Seems he takes those objects apart at a cellar level and stores them in his body. High concentration of metal and other elements were found in even the small sample I had,”

Zenyatta moved to put a hand comfortingly on Genji's shoulder as the cyborg remained silent, the weight of it all crashing down on him. Reaper was going to die and by Mercy's words, it didn't sound like something that would occur in the distant future but rather any day. Right now, Reaper could be going to pieces and Genji wouldn't be able to say goodbye. The panic was welling up now, that childish little voice that wanted to scream and protest every action. That same voice that had been so strong in his youth. 

That same voice that had been screaming when his brother gave the final blow with the intention to end his life. 

He wanted to deny the reality and cover his ears and duck down, meditate it all away, look for hope in all of this, but none of that would do any good. Genji closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, “So... if he... agrees to your examinations, could you do something to stop this?”

“Maybe,” Mercy looked to the sample, “if I can craft a stabilizing element, it should re-arrange his body to the proper internal order, purge the excess DNA, and give more finite motor control of his body allowing him to physically touch living creatures without going straight into feeding mode. At least in theory,”

“Still it hinges on Reaper cooperating yeah? Would he?” Tracer asked, looking around the room, “I mean he seems to really not like being around any of us,”

“He won't,” Genji's voice was threatening to crack as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest, wishing he had his mask to cover his face, “He won't do it,”

Reaper hated Mercy and it was clear the mercenary wasn't about to change his mind like that, even if his life was at risk. If anything he would probably scoff the concern and brush it off, perhaps even claim Mercy was lying about the whole affair. 

Genji knew though that the medical officer wasn't lying. She wouldn't bother with something so complex, and in the past, she had always been sincere about her desires to help, even if others may not have wanted it. Her motivations here might be to simply ease her own guilt for what she had done in the past. Selfish reasons or not, there was still that sincerity that shined through in her words, that conviction to see that Reaper received help.

Even if he didn't want it. 

Zenyatta's hand was slowly rubbing Genji's shoulder to relax the distraught man as Tracer bit her lip, looking around, “Well, maybe we could trick him into the lab? Then take the samples?”

“I don't think creating a situation of further distrust in the claim that it is for his own good is best,” Zeynatta tilted his head some, “I think the most we can do is explain the situation and make sure he makes the choice to seek help or not be his own entirely,”

Genji gave a brief bark of bitter laughter, “Oh yes. After he and Morrison finish their death match most likely, just causally bring up that he is probably in danger of dying any minute and if he would be so kind as to donate his body to science to see if maybe we can find a cure. I'm sure he will understand completely,” 

“You need to try, Genji,” Zenyatta urged gently, “He may say yes,”

“Or he will say no,” Genji pulled away from his mentor, moving away from the group, his expression pained, “Then I have to stand there watching him fall to pieces, knowing one day I'm going to wake up and he is just going to be gone without a trace,”

“Genji,” Mercy began, her tone soft and trying to be soothing, “There is still hope. Zenyatta is right and if he says no, keep asking, keeping bringing it up,”

 

Metal fingers dug into the palms of his hands as he stood there, trying to maintain some semblance of control. The anger was there, directed at Reaper, directed at himself, and even directed at his friends as if somehow they were to blame for bringing this problem to light. There was anger that he could do nothing but talk and even then, he felt like he would be betraying Reaper's trust mentioning the state he was in. 

Yet if he said nothing...

Genji stormed out of the room, ignoring the calls of his name behind him, picking up his pace. He didn't know where he was going or what he was trying to do by just running away like this. When he was younger, he had never been a confrontational soul. When the shouting of his mother or father or brother had gotten to much, he always ran away as if he could out run all the bad in the world and break free into a moment of clarity and peace. 

The night air was cool against his face as he left the base, coming to a stop at the overlook point he and Reaper had been at just yesterday. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. Genji stood, staring off over the ocean blankly, not feeling the same joy or peace the scenery had brought before. Now it seemed so dark, a foreboding black mass twisting in the night that wanted to swallow up every bit of light. Even the reflection of the stars were washed away in the murk, glimmering for a moment before being swallowed up. Genji's teeth were clenched so hard as he stood there, fighting the sorrow that wanted to rip out of him. 

He could hear his mother's voice at the back of his mind, telling him to not to cry, that Shimada never cried. He could remember many a time in his youth where he fought back tears after taking a spill off his bike, standing there like a wounded soldier on wobbly knees as she fussed over the wound.

“Crying solves nothing. You can endure a bad fall. Strong boys don't cry,” her voice, severe and with a cold detachment to it as she spoke, her eyes, more like his brothers, sharp and focused, making him always feel like he was never good enough and yet he had always tried to please her. 

He felt as if she was there as he stood there at the overlook, his entire form trembling, feeling as weak in the knees as he had when he had fallen from his bike, wanting to bawl at the top of his lungs until his throat gave way. He was Genji Shimada. He was put together and had accepted the world, been at peace with himself and was completely focused on his path, embracing a lifestyle of meditation and self-improvement. To everyone, he was at peace, serene, and untroubled. 

All he wanted to do now though was fall apart completely.

Genji tensed, hearing the scuffing of feet, quiet steps and for a moment, his heart lept hopefully as he turned to see who it was, willing it to be Reaper. His expression fell some at seeing it was only McCree walking up the path, the gentle glow of his cigar a tiny beacon of warm light in the shadows of the night, “Kind of late for a midnight stroll,” Genji managed although his voice sounded flat and devoid of any of his usual cheer.

“Would say the same to you,” McCree responded, coming up to stand next to Genji, “Saw you take off out of here and got a little worried. Cyborg or not, the paths around her can be a bit dangerous at night. One wrong step and you'll be plunging to your death off the edge,”

“I'm careful enough,” Genji looked out over the horizon blankly, “and I am not about to commit suicide or the like,”

“Didn't say you were,” McCree moved to seat himself on a rock, blowing out a thin trail of smoke, “I'm not going to ask what is bothering you. Not my business but figured I should tell you that Morrison and Reyes got back in one piece. A bit bruised, but seems they have settled something,” 

Genji glanced over his shoulder at the cowboy, “How can you tell?”

“Call it an aura or maybe just a gut feeling but things felt lighter between them. The looks less hateful. Not how it once was no, not like in the past, but something has changed,” McCree paused to take another drag from his cigar, letting out the smoke slowly, “I figured you should be told as you were more than a little worried about those two old foxes,”

“Where is Reaper now?” Genji asked, turning his gaze back to the horizon.

McCree gave a shrug, “Probably went to your room. He's not the type to stick around and socialize like he used to,”

Genji gave a small nod, apprehension gripping at him. He wanted to run back and see Reaper, assure himself he was fine and his usual,dark, brooding self. Genji was sure Reaper wouldn't want to talk about what happened, be as standoffish as usual but would not hesitate to wrap an arm about him, pressing in close and ask what was wrong in that low growl of a voice that softened so much when he was trying to comfort Genji. 

At the same time he wanted to avoid that and avoid the whole situation and pretend everything was fine and press up against Reaper without a word, take in that scent of gunpowder with a slight metallic tang, laced with some underlying spice that was uniquely Reaper. He just wanted to hold onto the other as if that enough would be all it took to make sure Reaper never vanished.

“You know, your brother in you got a lot in common, ” McCree drawled, a slight smile tugging at his lips, “You both like to put up walls to convince everyone you are completely fine when you are a complete mess on the inside,”

“Our mother was not the kind of person to coddle her sons,” Genji responded, crossing his arms, “You learn to bite your tongue. Even our father didn't defy her will when it came to rearing children as, after all, it was her duty as Lady Shimada to groom the young heirs to be able to handle the pressures of ruling,” 

McCree sighed, putting out his cigar on the rock, “ You bite your tongue one to many times and you are going to pop and that really does no one no good,”

“Maybe,” Genji closed his eyes, heaving a soft sigh, “I don't know what to do,”

“Most people don't know what to do about a lot of things,” McCree rose to his feet, coming over to clap Genji on the shoulder, “But right now, I think I know you want to go back to the base and check up on Reaper and sometimes that is the only step you know and the only step that needs to be taken at the moment. Got to start somewhere if you want to get moving,”

Slowly Genji nodded, giving a tired smile as he opened his eyes, reaching up to touch McCree's hand, “Perhaps you are right but I will be honest when I expected you to be the last person to give any sort of advice,”

“Call it old cowboy comforts,” McCree gave a lazy grin, “Or maybe just my slow pace of life, one step at a time and going where the wind pulls me. Or maybe you are just saying my advice was good to make me feel better,”

Genji gave a slight smile, “No it was good advice,” his smile faded some as he turned to look at the compound. 

Everything weighed at the back of his mind but maybe, for one more night at least, he could have one more night before having to find a way to confront everything still. 

Talon, Reaper's situation, his brother.... just one more night to quietly push it away.

“Thank you McCree. I believe I do owe you at least one lunch out,” Genji gave a polite bow to the cowboy who gave a snort.

“Last time we went out for lunch was a disaster if I recall. We got thrown out of the restaurant,” McCree commented.

“That is because you were swearing up a storm when they told you you couldn't smoke and then they called me your personal sex bot and I wasn't allowed in and you flipped a table onto the manager,” Genji gave a chuckle, “This time we will find some place that is not as racist and doesn't banish smokers to the barren, cold wastelands five miles away from the actual restaurant,”

“Amen to that,” McCree gave a small chuckle, “Have a goodnight Genji,”

“You as well,” Genji gave a final bow to McCree before making his way back to the base, taking a deep breath. 

He had wanted to take his time heading back but each step his pace increased, a sudden urgency welling up in him as he made his way to his room. A few presses of the key and the door slid open and despite everything, despite all the worry, he couldn't help but smile. 

Reaper turned to regard him, stripped down to his pants and looking like he had been just about ready to sit down, his phone in hand. The door had barely closed behind Genji before he was across the room, arms wrapped about Reaper in a sudden tight hug, burying his face into his chest. The mercenary tensed, looking down at where the other man was hugging him before awkwardly bringing his arms around Genji silently. 

They stood like that for a few minutes, Genji grateful for that quiet peace as he just held onto Reaper, closing his eyes. He didn't know how long it was before he found his voice again, “I missed you,”

“It was only a day,” Reaper murmured, tilting his head.

“Maybe but,” Genji took a deep breath, “I keep thinking I'm going to lose you just like that now,”

That answer had Reaper tensing some, one hand coming up to cup Genji's face and tilt it up towards his own, running the bare pads of his fingers over his scarred skin, “You won't lose me,”

“I want to believe that,” Genji leaned into the touch some, both hands coming up to Reaper's shoulders, pulling the mercenary in close, “Don't ask me what is wrong, not tonight. Ask me in the morning,”

Reaper tilted his head even as he was pulled in, the cool mask resting against Genji's forehead, “All right,”

Genji gave a small smile, leaning to press a kiss to the mask gently, “Thank you Reaper,”

He gave a grunt in response, moving to sit back on the bed, pulling Genji down with him,. The cyborg gave a small chuckle, making himself uncomfortable on top the other, nuzzling in close, “I really missed you a lot,” 

“Tomorrow you can pester me with your ceaseless attention,” Reaper drawled, wrapping both arms loosely about Genji's hips.

Genji gave a chuckle, sitting up, straddling the others hips as he looked down at him, “How about I pester you right now? How about right now,I want to show you all my attention while I say your name like a mantra in the kama sutra?” 

“The Kama Sutra isn't a mantra. It is also Hindu, not Buddhist,” Reaper murmured, although the grip on Genji's hips tightened some, “And most of it is the philosophy of love and relationships and not just sex,”

Genji gave a chuckle, shaking his head, “You are absolutely awful at bedroom talk Reaper. Next you'll be reciting the history of the American Civil War to me,”

“The American Civil war was the first total war. Heavy causalities and-” Reaper gave a grunt as Genji gave him a small slap to the shoulder with a huff.

“I was joking Reaper and despite your drones of history, that is going to do little to decrease how much I need you tonight,”he leaned in close, trailing his hands over the mask as he pressed his body against that of the mercenary, feeling Reaper tense up beneath him, “Can we take it slow tonight though?” 

The question was a soft whisper against the mask, a slight tinge of nerves as he spoke,”I mean, if-”

“You talk to much,”Reaper growled, one hand trailing down Genji's back, slowly, taking the time to feel out ever crevice of his armor.

Genji gave a quiet laugh, nuzzling into Reaper's neck, seeking out the pale skin to claim it all over again and leave his mark upon the mercenary where no one else would see. 

One step at a time, one desire at a time. 

Just one more night to themselves.

Tomorrow could wait.


	8. Embrace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! But it short, sweet, to the point, concentrated Genji/Reaper loving that you've been asking about! 
> 
> But there is also more pain in this chapter. Please proceed with tissue box. 
> 
> Also a moment of silence for Anna_Blossom who informed me they died of feels last chapter and whom I am sorry for the loss -lays the chapter on dear reader's grave- you shall be missed sweet reader. May a chorus of edgelords sing thee to rare pair heaven
> 
> Enjoy the chapter, you've earned this scene for sticking with me this long
> 
> (if the chapters are too long, the broken up version is here for easier read for some! Was asked to do this as a courtesy for someone who asked ^_ ^ https://macabrecabra.tumblr.com/private/146219407576/tumblr_o93510ENc21usxu17 )

Chapter Eight: Embrace 

 

The crisp mountain air of the Alps reminded Genji so much of Nepal, the snow on the mountain tops with the rich spread of forest below without a city for miles had that wild, free feeling that only the majesty of nature could deliver. The move to the Blackwatch outpost indicated by Reaper had, more or less gone without a hitch. When Winston, Torbjörn, and Reinhardt had scoped it out, they had found no indication of it being tampered with and in fact, had also found large caches of rather illegal weaponry and technology.

Of course when asked about this Reaper had made no comments other than to stare everyone down and McCree gave a murmured excuse that pretty much most of Blackwatch's holdings had been illegally gained from seizing illegal property form gangs. A loophole in Overwatch protocol about seizing illegal contraband that Blackwatch clearly had exploited to the fullest. 

Still it meant they had a little bit more fire power in their arsenal and now a safer location to plan their next move. Or more or less Morrison, Reaper, Winston, and McCree were busy arguing ceaselessly over what to do next. From dawn until dusk it seemed they were going at it verbally about how to infiltrate Talon's auction of weaponry. According to McCree though, the details were more or less done. At this point it was more they were arguing for the sake of argueing. That, however had left Reaper in more of a black mood than ever before which had made Genji more or less stave off about putting forth Mercy's proposition. Something Mercy kept bringing up gently when she could. Two days and Genji still hadn't had the gumption to speak up about it, afraid to get those answers at all. 

Genji took a deep breath, eyes closed as he let his mind slip into the rites of meditation, focusing his mind on the usual simple questions to help keep his attention away from the growing list of problems and stresses around him. The first and foremost thought though was alays Reaper and every question seemed to somehow lead back to questions concerning his well-being. More and more it was harder to focus on anything that didn't have to do with the mercenary, everything from the way he moved to the way he talked. The fact that without Mercy's help, Reaper's life may be over soon if his body could not be stabilized properly.

Heaving a sigh, the cyborg opened his eyes, staring out over the panoramic view from the large windows of the recreations room. Most of the room was empty other than a sad, worn pool table in the corner and a few TVs long since out of date but it made for a relaxing place for meditation for himself and Zenyatta. The monk sat next to Genji, both of them facing that incredible view of the mountains, rising up before them to touch a perfectly clear, blue sky that seemed more a painted scene of wonder than some place real. 

“Something troubling you Genji?” Zenyatta asked, the monk pausing in his own meditations to glance to his friend. 

“I have not been able to truly focus on meditations for a while,” Genji admitted, “My mind seems to be far too distracted with all the duties to handle of late,”

“Duties to handle or is it more you are thinking about a certain someone,” Zenyatta asked, a hint of mischief in his voice, “I think it is rather obvious to all that your thoughts are on a rather dark, brooding ghost that has been haunting the hallways,”

Genji gave a slight shrug, “Maybe I am. I just, after what Mercy said, I have found I've become more anxious about the whole affair. I don't want to lose him, I want to believe I can convince him to let Angela examine him but at the same time, at the same time I worry about his reaction. He is not easy to predict,”

“I think you have more on the mind than that, although that undoubtedly takes up most of your thoughts,” Zenyatta tilted his head a bit, “I think you need to be rather honest with how you feel Genji at this point,”

“And what do you mean by that?” Genji asked although he knew what the answer was already as Zenyatta gave another small chuckle. 

The omnic monk folded his hands in his lap, the golden orbs about his person floating serenely in the air as he turned to face Genji, bringing a hand to his own chest, “I mean it is obvious that you are in love,”

Genji eyed Zenyatta, his expression unsure but did not respond right away, his gaze shifting away from the monk and towards the scenery again. Love was a strange word. So simple a concept yet translated into every language, expressed in every culture, and had so much power to it and so much commitment. In many regards, the concept of being in love with another had always been hard for Genji to picture in his mind. Every story tried to describe that feeling and make clear what counted as love and really, it was a debate he and Zenyatta could discuss for hours without any clear answer being reached.

Yet here they sat with Zenyatta idly questioning if love was the name to the strange mixture of emotions thrumming in Genji's chest that seemed pulled between grief, anger, and happiness. 

“Maybe I am but does not mean it is returned,” Genji responded at length, his tone unsure, “And maybe I am confusing attraction or lust for love. Would not be the first time in my life I've done such a thing. My record with partners tends to follow that trend,”

“I think you've grown up a lot from your younger days of exploring your identity and have a firmer grasp on what you want,” Zenyatta replied, amusing clear in his voice.

Genji shook his head, “You give me too much credit teacher,”

“I only wish you gave yourself as much credit,” Zenyatta moved closer to the other, putting a hand on his shoulder, “But as a teacher now to a student, I have an exercise I wish you to try that may help to focus your meditations,”

The cyborg gave a slow nod as Zenyatta shifted back some, returning to his own meditative pose. The omnic took an unneeded breath of air, more an action to help focus on the act of meditation before letting it out slowly like a hiss of steam, “I want you to consider, in your mind's eye, the greatest place to be on this planet. A place where everything is how you see it, create it, and feel it. A place where you feel at peace,”

Genji frowned some, looking out the window again, “So just a place?”

“Not just any place, my student. A place in your soul that you must work to see come to pass,” Zenyatta gave a soft thoughtful hum, “In my mind's eye, I am not here, but somewhere warmer where the summers seem endless in the swelter of heat. Perhaps the southern areas of my native Nepal, but there, I see my own monastery, filled with my students over the ages, now teachers themselves engaging with the young monks in the teachings I have spent a lifetime creating,” The monk took another deep breath, letting it out before continuing, “It is a place of love and understanding, humans and omnics finally finding a discourse between them to discuss peacefully our differences. That, in this small space, I have created the seeds that can help to bring less hate to the world, that my path has inspired so many others and now I can simply enjoy the small acts of life in peace for however long I will function,”

A smile touched Genji's features as he heard his teacher speak, “That sounds like a wonderful vision master,”

“A vision I hope to bring to fruition as I seek enlightenment and embrace the energies of the world,” Zenyatta turned his head to look at Genji, “Now, it is your turn. I will not ask you to say what you imagine, but I wish for you to reach deep inside yourself and find that place. Find what it is that truly gives you inner peace,”

Genji took a deep breath with a small nod, closing his eyes and forcing himself to let it out slow. He focuses first on each finger,tensing the digits one by one before letting go of that tension slowly. Then to each wrist, then the arm, shoulders, chest, waist, every joint, tensed and released as he began to think on Zenyatta's task. 

He first considered Nepal as that place within his soul and the peace he felt among the monks there but even though the soothing cold air and majestic cut of the Himalaya mountains brought a measure of ease to him, it didn't quiet feel like what Zenyatta described. Beautiful, expansive, but empty. He focused deeper, shifting through years and years of memories. Vaguely he recalled Reaper's mentioning of his own “home” being that of his Abuela's home, not the the fast paced turmoils of Los Angeles. 

That small thought lead Genji back further into his past, to a small wooden house, built more traditionally, an ancient home that had been passed through the Shimada family since as long as anyone could remember. A house that carried a history within it with a dignified grace, the back porch opening up to wild mountains with the sun always bathing the whole land in a golden dust in the evening hours.

Genji let a small smile creep across his lips. That was what peace was, a sense of home and belonging. A place lost in time but gave a comfort to the present that was indescribable. He could imagine himself sitting on that back porch, leaned against the solid form of Reaper, neither of them speaking while a cat curled up in Reaper's lap that he was petting absentmindedly, one of probably a dozen of the felines lurking around the place. Reaper wore no gloves, able to touch another living thing without fear as everything had worked out. Mercy had been able to help.

A sense of peace began to sweep over Genji as he let his shoulders drop some into the bliss of serenity as that place deep inside, his tranquility, shaped itself more clearly. 

The stormy nights spent laying awake in the dark in a warm embrace, watching the lighting create a mosaic of shadows against the windows through the foliage. The early mornings waking up groggily to the sound of the rooster's crow and grouching about wanting to shoot it and then having to pull Reaper back into bed when he got up to do just that. Lunch where his mouth felt like it was on fire after downing a shake made up of haberno pepper death while Reaper ate it with out even breaking a sweat. The reunion of Overwatch, all of them there and laughing, rough housing like the old days, more a family than a group. 

His brother sitting at his side, one arm over his shoulder like things used to be, watching that same old sunset with new eyes, one chapter of their past finally closing to allow a new day to come.

Genji opened his eyes, the smile there, a touch sad, but he accepted that sadness with the happiness he felt at imagining what the future could be. He reached a hand up to touch his chest where his heart was, feeling a weight there, but a weight that made him feel more alive in the serenity of the moment.

“Have you found that place, my student?” Zenyatta asked, tilting his head.

“I have,” Genji looked to the monk, the smile still in place although it began a tad bit embarrassed, “And I think I have to admit that you are not only a dear friend and teacher, but very good at being a love guru,” Genji looked back over the mountain landscape out the window with an almost bashful expression, “My place has so many faces in it, but there is one that seems to share every moment. Every tiny bit of life from life-risking missions to the most mundane of tasks like waking up and every second seems just right,”

A quit laugh escaped Genji as he looked over to Zenyatta, “Perhaps that is what love feels like to me,”

“You should tell him,” Zenyatta rested his hands on his knees, giving a small nod, “Time is short as always and it is best to be able to say everything you want rather than wait for the end. We will be on a mission soon to stop Talon, once and for all,”

“I should,” Genji gave another quiet laugh, shaking his head, “But would you believe me if I said that the thought of telling him terrifies me? How could I phrase it in a way that wasn't sappy, convoluted, or meaningful. It is not as simple as showing up with flowers, one between your teeth and tangoing with them into the sunset, dipping them low and whispering a husky I love you. Not to mention our cultures are different. I my own, saying I love you is very strange but I am not sure of his own or what his family had taught him,”

“For some people, that would work,” Zenyatta gave a small chuckle, “But I think you know exactly how it needs to be said,”

Genji gave a snort, “Said while getting tickets to a gun show? Write it on the collar of a cat and try to herd it towards Reaper without looking like I've lost my mind? Send him secret messages with a cereal box decoder ring and turn it into a wild chase that ends with him finding me on the bed covered in rose petals?”

“I am not sure, as I do not know him personally but if you think any of those methods would work,” Zenyatta trailed off giving a shrug while Genji shook his head letting out a sigh. 

“I can infiltrate any base, send bullets flying back at their owners, and yet confessing my attraction is the greatest task of my time. Perhaps I am being too old fashion in wanting to make this moment meaningful,” Genji looked down at his hands some, frowning, “This is not some whispered word of love simply to get him into bed as I have done so many times in the past. I want him to know and feel that connection as much as I do,”

“You've seemed to have been able to do that without saying you love him,” Zenyatta pointed out earning a glower from Genji, “What? I am not wrong in that statement,”

Genji grumbled some, looking away, “No, you aren't wrong but my personal activities aside, how would you suggest I confess?”

Zenyatta raised a hand to stroke his chin, “I am not perhaps the best to ask about such things as I wouldn't personally be confessing anything of a romantic attraction but perhaps you should just be natural about it? Just find a quiet place and confess? I do not think you have to grand and huge, but if so, fireworks might be a nice touch,”

“You aren't taking this seriously are you?” Genji let out a soft groan, sliding his hands up to grip at the protrusions of his helmet lightly, “And I can't ask anyone else about this. Mercy wouldn't let me live it down, Reinhardt would do the declaration for me and most likely all the world would know it as he shouted it from the mountaintops, Winston would ask if I was feeling well and McCree,” he groaned, “McCree would probably just hand me the movie Brokeback Mountain and tell me to study it and I'm only saying that because did exactly that to some other poor agent that was in Blackwatch and got a reputation for that being his relationship advice go to movie,”

“Oh dear. Well, considering all that then, let me offer something maybe a touch better and a touch more serious,” The monk cleared his throat some, “Just wait for the right moment?”

Genji just glanced to his friend with an exasperated look, “You are not much of a love guru anymore, Zenyatta,”

“I suppose not. I can see pinning when it happens but I might have to read up more on courtship practices and the like,” The monk tilted his head some, “Perhaps you should take a walk, clear your mind and try to build your confidence up with some self talk?”

The cyborg sighed, looking away, propping up his chin in his hand, “Oh yes. Tell myself I am an attractive half-man, half-machine. I am able to tell Reaper I love him and want to spend the rest of my life being ridiculously domestic with him,”

“oh well, if that is the case, perhaps we should get you a ring? It is customary of many human cultures to exchange rings to enter into a domestic-” Zenyatta began only to have Genji let out a frustrated sigh getting to his feet quickly.

“I just want to tell him I love him Zenyatta! I didn't say I was going to propose to him! One step at a time, by Buddha!” He shook his head, feeling a great deal of embarrassment at both what Zenyatta was saying and his own embarrassment that he actually wouldn't mind if the question of matrimony came up at all.

Reaper would look good either in a tuxedo or a dress, that was for sure. 

Genji shook his head to banish those thoughts before quickly heading towards the door, “You know what, I am going to take that walk before you bring up somehow having children,”

“I wouldn't bring that up. Physically that is impossible between you two, however, adoption is still an option if you want to create a family life! I could see you and Reaper being a power parenting couple!” Zenyatta called out after Genji which earned another loud frustrated sigh from the cyborg. 

The laughter of his friend trailed after him as Genji grumbled under his breath. He loved his friend dearly but oh, did that monk's teasing always hit right on mark for pushing his button playfully. Still, at least he had some idea of how to spend the rest of the day now, quietly brooding over how to tell Reaper not only that he could die at any moment, but also that he loved him.

Genji would give anything to have only one or two issues to concern himself with at a time as a confession of love and then telling the person they were terminally ill seemed to be an issue straight out of one of the horrible TV dramas his mother had always watched. 

The cyborg tilted his head as laughter echoed down the halls combined with McCree's colorful, but good-natured cursing. The bellow of Reinhardt's voice echoedas well making it clear it was coming from the practice shooting ranged that stood just outside the main compound. Genji shook his head but allowed curiosity to guide him to the doorway where the ruckus was coming from. Coming out on the balcony over the training area greeted him with the sight of McCree, Tracer, and his brother having some sort of shoot-out, trying to knock over the dummies set up around the training field.

Or at least they had been doing that before Reinhardt had come into join and had wanted to prove something. Now it was practical an all out brawl of Tracer, McCree, and Hanzo trying to wrestle the laughing German down to the ground. 

“Ah! You think you can take on me? I am undefeatable! I am a mountain of power!” Reinhardt boomed in a jovial voice, struggling to move forward with Tracer hanging off his back while Hanzo and McCree grappled with am a piece to pull him back, “Your teamwork is impressive but you still have much to learn to defeat me!”

“Oh come off it ya howling nutter,” Tracer grunted, tugging back to try and off balance him, “You've gotten so old, you are having delusions of grandeur,”

“The elderly should be taking more time to seek solace than picking fights with the young,” Hanzo grunted, managing to hold his ground in restraining one arm, “I am surprised you have not thrown your back out,”

McCree gave a grunt, “Honestly I'm surprised he hasn't died of liver disease with how he still drinks at his age,”

“Nothing can overcome years of hard training! When you get to be my age, young my friends, you two will still be able to fight with the best of them,” Reinhardt declared, grunting as he managed to drag both arms forward, tugging both Hanzo and McCree off balance. This gave him enough time to raise his arms and flex some with a grin. 

To be honest, McCree and Hanzo looked fairly surprised, dangling from the large man's arms, sharing a look of mutual disbelief. Genji couldn't help snickering some, leaning on the banner as he looked down at the sight, “Schooling the young whipper snappers again, eh Reinhardt?”

The group looked up, Tracer giving a small wave as Reinhardt laughed, “They started it!”

“You yellow belly sack of cow shit, you are the one who started it!” McCree shot back, trying to look angry while dropping back to the ground, “And we ain't done yet. If this was a contest of aim, you wouldn't be able to compete,”

“Ah bu that is where you are wrong! I can throw my hammer and hit all the targets faster!” Reinhardt declared, grinning wide.

“Your bravado is commendable, but foolish,” Hanzo murmured, dropping to the ground as well.

Genji could tell his brother was refusing to look up and speak to him, playing it off more like he wasn't there as they both had been doing since their last exchanged words. Just another hurt to add to the rest of the stress building below the surface Genji supposed.

“Well, since we all know you can beat us in everything, Reinhardt, how about you be the judge of a little competition between us gunslingers eh?” Tracer suggested, looking down from where she was still hanging off his back, “I think all of us here have some form of ranged weaponry,”

“Listen, the only gunslinger here is me,” McCree gave a grin as he tipped his hat some, the other hand patting at the gun at his hips, “you still got a ways to catch up with me. Hanzo doesn't count as he uses arrow, and Genji uses...flying metal star things which aren't any sort of gun I've ever seen,”

Genji gave a slight smirk, lifting his left hand and flicking the fingers, the dangerous blades of his shurikens appearing as they were called forth before he dispelled them with another flick of his hand, “My little flying stars could still hit truer than your aim,”

Tracer gave a laugh as she dropped to the ground, putting her hands on her hips, “Then that settles it! Let's see who really gets to have bragging rights!”

Reinhardt gave a chuckle, crossing his arms, “I can judge it then but perhaps a little help from the spectator in our midst?” he asked, looking at someone who was out of Genji's sight below the balcony he stood on.

Genji dropped down easily from the balcony, landing silently and it was only then he saw that Reaper had been at the scene, leaned against the doorway, watching everyone in that typical silent, almost threatening way. It seemed though that everyone was starting to get use to his presence to some extent, at least not showing obvious fear to him being there. He didn't seem too interest though in contributing to the festivities, for at Reinhardt's suggestion, he tilted his head some, giving a dismissive snort. 

The cyborg gave a slight smile to the mercenary as he crossed his arms, “If you don't want to judge, you can be my moral support then,”

“Like you need moral support,” McCree drawled, giving a good-natured shove to the cyborg, “You've got enough self-confidence to write a book on the subject,”

“Clearly you don't know me well,” Genji retorted, his gaze flicking briefly to his brother who was still refusing to look his way, instead busying himself with examining the head of one of his arrows.

Reaper just gave another dismissive sound, stepping out and past the group, looking over the firing range, “the competition is pointless. Each weapon has its own range and use,”

“Aw, Reaper, just some fun. Don't have to take it too seriously. I mean, we were going to let Reinhardt's hammer count,” Tracer put in with a friendly smile although it looked a bit forced as she took a step back from the mercenary to let him pass by her.

“Reaper still needs to learn to loosen up some,” McCree commented, crossing his arms, “Not like he seems to do much aiming with his unlimited supply of guns,”

“Keep talking brat,” Reaper drawled, “You still haven't touched my record,”

“Give it a few more years,” McCree retorted, drawing his gun and spinning it around skillfully, “I'll have you beat soon enough old man,”

Tracer gave a chuckle starting to move towards the nearest target, “Well shall we set up the game then? Looks like everyone as a lot to-!” The ex-pilot hadn't been watching where she was going, tripping over one of the knocked over targets in the scuffle and loosing her balance.

With a yelp, she let go one of the guns she was holding to try to catch onto Reaper who had been standing nearby who turned to regard her,tensing up and raising his hands as if he was about to bring his own guns out.

Tracer's gun though slammed hard into the mask on his face, knocking it lose the force enough to have him recoil back some as the white skeletal mask clattered across the ground as Reaper raised both hands up quickly try and pull his hood lower, shoulders hunching up defensively. 

“Oh geeze! Sorry Re-” Tracer had begun to say sheepishly, giving a nervous smile before her expression quickly changed as she caught sight of what was beneath the hood.

Her face was one of horror, her eyes wide and mouth opening as if she were going to scream but no sound came out as she stepped back quickly. Reaper hunched over forward more, both hands on his face letting out a snarl as he turned away. Genji had never seen Reaper's posture so defensive as if were honestly afraid. Tracer was covering her mouth while McCree moved to pick up the mask, offering it to Reaper, “Hey, you okay Rey-”

At hearing McCree's voice, Reaper had looked up quickly reaching for the mask but the sudden sight of whatever it was beneath the hood had even McCree flinching back, dropping the mask eyes widening, “Holy mother of-!”

Reaper turned to mist quickly then, vanishing away across the ground and out the door before anyone could say a word, Genji looking between the two wide-eyed agents and the mask still laying on the ground before taking off out the door after Reaper, panic rising in his chest. The trail of black smoke moved quickly away from the scene and even Genji had to push his body to its limits in terms of speed to just keep the sporadic shifting fog in sight. It was clear though Reaper was trying to lose him, ducking through small openings and then finally slid under the gap of a door into the garage with a sibilant hiss. 

Genji didn't slow down as he came towards the door, merely squaring a shoulder and all but breaking the door off its hinges as he barreled into the room. Panic had seized him at the thought that Reaper was going to leave entirely went entered the back of his mind. The cyborg rushed in, clutching the metal railing as he looked around the room, eyes wide, “Reaper!”

There was no response other than the echo of his own voice in the nearly empty garage, only a few of the sad relics taking from the Watchpoint at Gibraltar sitting silent in the low light of the room. Genji lept over the railing, both feet touching down as he moved further into the garage, doing a quick count of all the vehicles. None of them were missing or mysteriously starting up but that was honestly a small comfort. He was sure Reaper could move just as fast quickly in his wraith form if he chose and had more than a few stolen vehicles stored on his person.

“Reaper please. If, if you are going to leave, at least say goodbye?” Genji called out, trying to put humor into his words that only served to make him sound desperate with how strident his voice sounded.

This time there was a slight response, the scuff of feet that had Genji whirling around, his eyes searching out the darker corners of the room, “Reaper?”

“Did you bring my mask?” The tone was a low growl but had Genji once more whirling around, focusing on a stack of old supplies piled up against the far wall, the form of the mercenary leaned against the base of the stack, hunched over and pulling his hood lower, taking great pains to keep his face out of sight. 

Genji bit his lip, feeling a bit foolish for not thinking to pick up the maske, only shaking his head, “I didn't. I was more worried you would just leave,”

Reaper gave a low growl of agitation, hunching up even further with every step closer Genji took, “Go and get it,”

“Reaper,” Genji reached out to touch his shoulder leaning down some, an action that only caused Reaper to look away more so, “Look at me,”

“No,” The word came out so bitterly, filled with contempt but a tinge of something else, “I can't,”

Genji had both hands on Reaper's shoulder as he laid his head against the mercenary's shoulder, “I'm not going to be scared or ashamed of what you are Reaper,”

A laugh came from the mercenary, a bitter sound, as he just hunched over more, “You saw how they reacted. Do you really think your reaction will be any different?”

The cyborg was silent, tracing his fingers over the familiar leather of Reaper's clothes and down the too pale skin of his arm. His skin was white, dead-looking although as Mercy had shown, was thriving with more life than normal in a strange mutation of his very being to keep him alive. 

Barely alive for who knows how long.

Genji swallowed hard, turning his head some to hide his own against Reaper's shoulder, “It will be a shock to see since I can't even imagine what has been below your mask. I've gotten so use to it, it just always seemed to be your face now in a way. You never haven taken it off around me before, but I'm not going to reject whatever is there. Not going to scream or run off,”

Reaper raised a hand up under his hood, touching whatever was hidden there, his entire being radiating a nervousness that Genji had never felt in the mercenary, “You won't like it,”

A small laugh escaped Genji although it was humorless and born of the stress of everything returning in a thunderous wave, “There are a lot of things I haven't liked of late. I don't like the fact Talon is using my readings to torture innocent people to turn them into abominations like me for their own needs. I don't like the fact that we are struggling to even get any forward motion going. I don't like the fact my brother treats me as if I am a stranger and not his own blood and keeps looking at me like I'm a horrific beast straight from his nightmares,” Genji's fingers tensed, digging against the leather as he pressed harder against Reaper, choking out the last words, “I don't like the fact that you could die at any moment,”

Just saying those words alone made Genji's heart seize up tight and feel like the machinery of his body had suddenly constricted around the organ, wanting to mash it into a bloody mess in his chest. He was shaking some as he gripped tight onto Reaper. The mercenary was quiet, only turning his head a fraction to show he heard. The two sat there like that in a deafening silent, punctuated only by the slight hitch in Genji's breath as he tried to keep himself together.

“Who told you that?” Reaper's voice was soft, nearly a whisper but there was no shock in his voice as Genji thought there would be. No confusion or even any hint of a mocking dismissive tone. The question sounded more melancholy, a gentle question that a terminally ill person, aware of their state, would ask to someone who had quietly mentioned they had heard they were sick.

“Mercy. She said....she said you are unstable, your genes,” Genji's voice was cracking now, his vocalizer starting to cut out from the emotional distress, giving it a distorted almost metallic rasp, “she said you could vanish at any moment if something went wrong. That you are not put together as you should. That you'll die, just like that, without warning and just be....just be gone,”

Reaper was silent as he turned his head to stare out ahead, one hand moving up to touch Genji's gently. The cyborg all but grabbed it, clutching it like that alone would make sure Reaper would never go anywhere. A heavy, tired sigh escaped Reaper as his body sagged some.

“She's right,” the statement was only two simple words but made Genji seize up, shaking his head in denial

“Reaper, please-” Genji's voice was so horse, pleading, urging Reaper to deny it all instead and brush it off. He wanted to hear Reaper's anger or hate, that raw,always angry rasp that could deny anything, not this soft resignation. 

The mercenary shifted then, turning around as he raised both hands to cup Genji's face, one hand coming under his chin, lifting it, silently granting permission to see his face. 

Genji lifted his eyes.

The visage before him all but confirmed everything Mercy had said before. 

There was no face, or at least anything that could count as a human face put together right. It was a black moving, writhing mass, punctuated by two burning, red orbs, staring, not even set in the place eyes should be, one moving about as if trying to figure out where it had to be, blinking in and out of the black mass as it focused on Genji's reaction. There was no semblance of a nose or cheeks, just more of that moving, metallic mass of fog giving vague protrusions of the face that just made it look more like macabre surreal painting. What served as a mouth a black gash in the mass, lipless to expose an attempt at gums, black and wet looking from some unknown liquid that might be an attempt at spit. Descending out of the gums, gleaming unnaturally white against the blackness was a menagerie of sharp teeth, some of them looking like those of a human while others were more closely resembled to animals, placed at uneven intervals and seemed to extend further back than what could be normal to any human mouth.Not just one row though, but two or three uneven rows behind it with something else that might have been a black tongue shifting around inside the monstrous cavity. The entire picture seemed to be the face of some sort of demon in the dark that had vague idea of how a human's face should be.

Like Reaper was completely unsure of how a face he could not see was suppose to look anymore. 

Mercy's words came to mind of how his body, what he could physically see and put together would seem fine, hence why his build was more or less human looking despite the instability of his body and that his will kept it that way, the body of a trained shoulder and mercenary. Internally he was most likely completely wrong and his biology completely ruined unless something was done. What he couldn't see would be wrong, that is what Mercy had explained.

Yet a person's face, something that could only be seen in mirrors or pictures, something no one could truly see other than what could be perceived, that too seemed to be another part of himself Reaper could no longer put together as it should be.

Genji swallowed hard, looking in to the proof before him before lifting a trembling hand to touch the moving mass. Reaper tensed but didn't pull away. As Genji cupped his hand where Reaper's jaw should have been, the moving shadow seemed to respond, forming up into something solid that felt almost like skin, following along as Genji traced where he imagined Reaper's jawline would be. From the pictures of Gabriel he could remember, he knew the mercenary had a rather strong jaw, squared and cut without any trace of fat. 

The cyborg's other hand rose to join in touching against what served as a crude face, every touch of his fingers forming more of what should be there as if Genji were a sculptor working in black clay yet when his hands pulled away, everything fell away again to what it was before, a chaotic,nightmarish shifting mass. The sight of it made Genji feel a sense of deep set pity he couldn't keep off his own face. 

“You are scared,” Reaper murmured, the voice coming from somewhere in the moving mass, but not from the mouth that barely even twitched, flashing sharp teeth. It seemed to just echo from within the recesses of Reaper's being, low and hoarse. 

“I'm not scared of what you are Reaper. I'm scared of what this means,” Genji whispered. 

Genji could feel himself falling apart as the truth stared him in the face, red eyes unblinking, unwavering,taking in every little detail of the cyborg's face. Those eyes didn't express emotion, unable to blink and only move about twitching, but were focused and intense, as if that alone could convey whatever emotion Reaper was trying to show. The expression on the cyborg's face was devastated, hopeless, and every bit of hurt and pain inside spilled out before he leaned forward to bury his face against Reaper's chest, a heaving sound escaping him although no tears fell. The ability to cry had been taken away but the dry sobs forced their way out with seizing gasps as he dug fingers into the leather were just as poignant as any tears. Genji's voice, for the second time in his life, completely failed him.

Reaper didn't move asGenji pressed against him trembling with every dry heave of a sob that managed to escape him like a sputtering out radio. He only sat there, lifting his head to stare off, one hand lightly resting against Genji's back as the other one rested against one of Genji's elbows in a loose embrace. 

Hours could have passed but Genji could care less. He didn't want anyone else to see him like this, broken and raw like exposed bone in a deep wound, his emotions tearing out of his body at last in choked, ragged sobs that cut out unnaturally as his vocalizer strained to cope with the sounds of human grief. Everything felt wrong, just like the day his mother had died. Just like the day his father had died. Just like the day Hanzo had sentenced him to death in the most humane way he could. A sense that nothing felt real and there was a sudden detachment from the world once more and everything was slowing down and speeding up at the same time in a blurr he couldn't quiet grasp. Only that horrendous weight on his heart, that pain that crept to every last remaining cell he had. It felt unbearable but eventually the sobs subsided as he couldn't focus on the energy to express the grief still sitting heavily inside the broken remains of himself. 

It was Reaper's voice that broke through it all as he shifted some, moving to sit back and pull Genji closer into his arms, “You weren't suppose to find out,”

“I wasn't?” Genji croaked out, “I wasn't suppose to find out? Why not? What purpose could it serve to keep me in the dark about this?”

“You wouldn't be unhappy,” was the simple answer from the mercenary as he lightly slid his hand over Genji's back in what passed as an attempt at a soothing gesture. 

Genji gave a bark of bitter laughter, looking up at Reaper, his face contorted into a smile that was wracked with pain, “I would be unhappy for a lot longer if you just vanished without a word Reaper. You are part of my tranquility, the future I want,” he pressed against Reaper, eyes closing tight as the words that had been burning inside finally found their way out in rushed, cracked voice that hissed with a machine-like static, “I love you. I don't want you to go,”

Just like that, the confession.

There was no sudden pull away from Reaper, no hiss or growl as if the words held the power to harm. Instead there was a hand cupping Genji's face gentle,coaxing him to look up into the face of his lover as Reaper trailed his thumb over Genji's scarred lips, “I know, mi cielo. I know,”

He leaned in then, the posture of his body rigid with uncertainty as he moved closer before closing the distance for a nervous attempt at a kiss. 

The feeling was so strange and the sensation at first was like trying to kiss a cloud of steam before the feeling of lips seemed to form against his own quiet suddenly, warm but with all the grace of a clumsy youth trying to figure out how to kiss at all, or in Reaper's case, how to form the correct facial features to doso. Genji could care less, gripping onto Reaper's jacket to pull him closer rather aggressively and responding to that kiss with every fiber of feeling inside. Every drop of anger, fear, pain, sadness he felt coupled with the happiness that wanted to break through the surface of it all to take part, the feeling that made this seem so giddy and new, all wrapped up in the desire to laugh and cry at the same time over the sheer insanity and irony of the moment. 

In that moment Genji had never felt more human, more alive, than riding the whole complex spectrum of human emotions that tore him apart inside, poured in a single first true kiss that was matched in intensity by Reaper. Every bruising press that pressed teeth against teeth, wanting to somehow swallow each other up and hold onto that single moment for the rest of their lives. 

By the time they parted, Genji felt breathless even though breathing was an unnecessary process, panting as if he had just ran a gauntlet, feeling completely drained emotionally and yet still feeling as if his entire body was a live wire, “Te amo, mi cielo,” Reaper murmured huskily, those teeth bared in what could be deducted was some form of a smile. 

A terrifying, dangerous smile but fitting for Reaper. 

Genji pulled back, staring into those burning eyes, a breathless “Daisuki dayo,” escaping his lips before he leaned in for another kiss. 

There was no truer way to express love than in action alone, in expressing the feeling in both eyes and mannerism and in the soft tones of whispered affection. There was no phrase, no single utterance that could give shape to how he felt. This time Reaper was a lot more confident in the kiss, the shape of his face feeling more natural, or at least shaped more comfortably but Genji was not to be out done, putting ever little bit of knowledge he had from his experiences kissing into every brush of lips, parting briefly, sharing heated breaths. 

Reluctantly though, Genji pulled further back, licking his lips, enjoying the blissful bruised feeling as he kept his gaze fixed on the other, “I won't lose you,” he murmured firmly, “Not now,”

Reaper tiled his head some, “Don't say things you can't ensure,”

Genji gave a rueful smile, “You'll find I can be very passionate about causes,” he paused, glancing away, “Mercy can help you Reaper. She can stabilize your physical body,”

“Probably,” Reaper bared his teeth some, a low hiss echoing from somewhere within his form, “But I'm not coming near her,”

“Even if it would save your life?” Genji's smile faded as he looked down.

“No guarantee that she could,” Reaper raised a hand up, to cup Genji's face, forcing him to look up, “I don't concern myself with when I'm going to die and neither should you. It is the only promise that life keeps,”

Genji shook his head lightly, “But I don't want to end up alone and don't say something sappy like I'll never be alone and you'll be with me in spirit or the like. Spirits are poor company,”

“Keep it in memory then. All of this,” Reaper leaned in again, stealing another quick kiss, “If the end has to come, which it will, know at least this one thing if nothing else every gets through your head,”

Reaper picked upGenji's hand, bringing it to rest against his chest, “You reminded me there is more to living than hatred,”

Genji trembled, the hand against Reaper's chest clenching some as he felt another wave of emotions threaten to overtake him again. He turned his head, gritting his teeth, “Reaper I...why...why won't you just-”

“You know the answer,” Reaper didn't let go of his hand, those eyes, ceaselessly staring, almost seemed sorrowful, as if trying to apologize for how things were.

“What is stopping me from just forcing you? Dragging you down or taking samples of your blood to get to her to work with?” Genji asked, staring hard at his lover, “Even if you would hate me for it, I'd rather have your hate than nothing at all from you,”

Reaper didn't respond at first, moving to get to his feet although he kept Genji in his arms, close to his body, “You know that answer too,”

The cyborg closed his eyes, moving his hands to Reaper's shoulders, dropping his forehead to Reaper's chest. Deep inside, he knew that Reaper wouldn't agree, not just like that. Maybe there really was no help for Reaper at all. He could force Reaper, could deceive him and break their trust for a single chance that Mercy could create a miraculous cure. 

But all of that would be wasting what time they could spend together here when they had finally found each other. Time wasn't something he was going to waste like he had in his youth. Not now. He could ruin everything and end up like Morrison, estranged completely out of Reaper's life, or just enjoy the time, however long it could be, together. 

“Maybe. Maybe I do,” Genji replied softly. He took a deep, shaky breath, “But I still don't want to accept that there is nothing I can do,”

Reaper was silent, looking away as they sat their in the garage, the only sound the dul thrum of the lights above. Slowly he reached forward to take Genji's hand in his own, holding it gentle, his gaze dropping to inspect it, “You've done too much,”

“You are trying to make me feel better aren't you?” Genji gave a small, sad smile, watching as the mercenary played with his hand, flexing the cybernetic fingers, “What have I done for you?”

“A lot,” Reaper let go of his hand, moving to take both of them now in his own. 

“Yet you won't tell me,” Genji murmured, glancing away, “Just leave me with that vague feeling of maybe doing right,”

Reaper tilted his head some, his face contorting into some attempt at a smile, one that stretched unnaturally ear to ear, lipless, and showing off far too many teeth like some sort of demonic entity about to devour his soul, but it was still an attempt. A painful one that was hard to look at. Just a reminder of the state Reaper was in. That strange smile faltered some as Genji looked away, the mercenary turning his head quickly, “...I'm going to get my mask then,”

“Reaper,” Genji let out a sigh, biting his lip, “I'm sorry I just, seeing you like this, just reminds me of the inevitable. It might be easy for you to brush off as it will come but for me? For me it just means... it just means,” 

The mercenary let out a sigh, moving to pull Genji close again, wrapping both arms around him in a tight hug, “I don't need Mercy's help,”he murmured, “I can take care of myself as I have since I've gained this curse. Reyes have never met death quietly, but with a fight ever time,”

“But what about touching other living things? How about being able to eat like normal and just gaining that part of your life back?” Genji asked, his own arms wrapping about the waist of the mercenary, “Wouldn't you want any of that back?”

“I don't know,” Reaper paused, looking down at Genji, “Would you want your body back if it could be done? To not be what you are now?”

The question took Genji aback some. A part him was quickly to shout an emphatic yes, that having his old body back and feeling as humans he wanted to be was whathe wanted. Being able to eat, sleep, and just feel all the little things that he had gone without for so long again would be more than he could hope for. Another smaller part though was reluctant. True there was much about his old life he wanted back but some things....

“I don't know,” Genji kept his gaze focused on the bright red ammo containers on Reaper's chest, tracing his fingers over them, “There are thins I would like to have back but I really don't know,”

Reaper kept silent reaching up to cup Genji's hands, that twisted visage shifting as there was some attempt to try and make an emotion although it ultimately failed to make sense of how everything should lay and move. He didn't say anything for a moment, just looking down at the hands before he heaved an exasperated sigh, “I'll think about it,”

“Not exactly a yes, Reaper,” Genji responded, shaking his head.

“Not exactly a no either,” Reaper let go of his hands, starting to turn to mist, slinking over to the doorway where he reformed, “Its the most I'll offer at this point,”

Genji gave a nod. It was true what he said. A maybe wasn't exactly a no. It was a small concession from Reaper, at least a glimmer of hope in this whole situation. The cyborg allowed himself a small smile. This small bit of hope he could allow himself at least. 

He quickly moved to follow after Reaper as he started to ghost down the hall back to the practice range. No one was there now and the white mask gleamed in the light of the sun, still on the ground where it had fallen. Reaper didn't waste time picking it up and fitting it onto his face, a small sigh escaping him as his posture relaxed some. 

“I like you better without the mask on,” Genji commented, leaning in the doorway, “You don't have to wear it when we are alone,”

Reaper tilted his head as he crossed his arms and Genji could imagine him raising what served as an eyebrow at him. Genji just shook his head, a quiet smile on his face as he moved closer to the other and put both hands on his crossed arms, “You know I love you, right?”

“I've known for a while,” Reaper murmured moving to press a single finger under Genji's chin, “You don't try to hide it,”

“Of course not. In my culture, the words, I love you are never used, they aren't strong enough. It is mannerism that you express how you feel, in your actions, your eyes, your expressions,” Genji tilted his head, “If I say it at all, its simply a courtesy call in case you forget,”

“How could I when you are such a pest about your affections?” Reaper drawled, “Should we do something?”

“What do you mean?” Genji asked, arching an eyebrow. 

“You're upset. Not the best memories for becoming... official or whatever you want to call this,” Reaper murmured.

Genji gave a quiet laugh and a small shrug, “Beggars can't be choosers I suppose,” He paused, his expression growing thoughtful, “But, perhaps, maybe you should show me some of those cat selfies you take. I'm having a bad day,” 

“I don't have any new ones,” Reaper responded, “I'll have to go out and take new ones,”

“Then lets go out and find some city nearby, find some cats, and take pictures with them,” Genji gave a shrug, turning on his heels, hands on his hips. 

Reaper tilted his head staring at Genji quietly for a few minutes before dropping his hands to his side, “Going to be a long drive. Won't be back until late this evening. Pretty sure the others will be pissed on us taking off from the mission prep,”

“Then we come back late this evening and let them chide us like naughty children and ground us. I'm having an awful yet strangely good day, I feel emotionally drained and the only cure I'm sure is watching you take cat selfies. Also pictures of you with cats looking candid,” Genji paused before looking over his shoulder, “And more kisses from you,”

Reaper grumbled some, shaking his head before grabbing Genji by the arm, starting to pull him along,”Fine. Cat pictures to appease you but only for today,” He turned to fix Genji with a stare, “And I'm bringing one back,”

“Just one? Reaper, I know you. We are going to have a box of cats,” Geni gave a laugh, grinning at his own little joke. 

That grin started to fade to worry though as Reaper didn't say anything in response and almost seemed to get a slight set to his shoulders as if some sort of challenge had been accepted, “You know I'm kidding, right Reaper?” 

There was still no response, only a quickening of Reaper's pace which had Genji having to half jog to keep up with him, “Reaper, you can't bring a whole box of cats back. Reaper are you listening to me?”

Reaper just glanced over at Genji as they exited the base, “You talk too much,”

He turned on his heels, spreading his hands and the smoke flowed forward to form the familiar motorcycle they had used when they had left Reaper's home to head out on their first mission what seemed like a lifetime ago now. The memories that flooded Genji brought a bittersweet smile to his face as he watched Reaper mount the bike, already starting to rev the engine,”Vamos, plagas,” 

Genji sighed, but moved to climb on the back of the bike, shaking his head, “Do I want to know what you said or should I start speaking Japanese when you start speaking Spanish,”

“I can start speaking Nahutal if you do that,” Reaper drawled, revving the engine some impatiently as Genji climbed on the back.

“Nahuatl?” the cyborg asked, “That... is not a language I've heard about,”

“ An indigenous language in Mexico's heartland,” Reaper commented, “My grandparents spoke it more than Spanish when at home,” 

Genji gave a small nod and a smile, “You'll have to teach me that one then too so I know when you are saying something dirty,”

Reaper gave a snort and Genji could almost feel the eye roll the mercenary was probably giving even as he started to nudge the motorcycle down the dirt road from the base, careening down the mountainside as they headed back towards civilization. 

Genji just held on tight, a smile on his face that held only a passing sadness.

Maybe. That is what Reaper said. Maybe he would consider letting Mercy help him. Perhaps not the answer he wanted but it was something.

It was hope. 

For now though, it was the two of them, the roar of the wind and the path ahead. The others could carry on without them for now, keep planning. 

Right now they needed just some time to themselves and enjoy what they could find while it lasted.


	9. Masquerade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is this massive chapter to punch you all in the feels and be a roller coaster of emotions. Also, this story is getting not ten chapters, but twelve. Want to take Chapter ten to tie off some lose ends, then chapter eleven to build up a bit, then deliver the climax at twelve. 
> 
> Felt to rushed to get it ALL wrapped up by chapter ten XD; 
> 
> PLEASE KEEP TISSUE BOX ON HAND.
> 
> FOR THE BROKEN UP VERSION AKA READ THIS IN SMALL PARTS GO HERE! https://macabrecabra.tumblr.com/private/146478128281/tumblr_o9ctqcZgQH1usxu17

Chapter Nine: Masquerade 

Genji blearily stared down into the liquid slop of breakfast before him feeling completely drained and as if Reinhardt had slammed him full force in the face with his hammer. It was a familiar feeling of too much and too little wrapped up in a perfect long night of living without a care, a famliar feeling from his youth, although he had no regrets like he used to have in his youth. The day spent with Reaper had been worth every second. Not a single minute or breath was out of place, the weather holding until late evening when it started to downpour, having to duck beneath some trees and then, well... there were some activities that Genji made a mental note to do again passionately in the rain with his lover. 

A small smile tiwtch at the corner of Genji's tired expression. That memory alone was enough to brighten his tired mood some. Coming back, in the late evening, late enough to dodge lectures and enjoying a hot shower together followed by the lazy comfort of cuddling in Reaper's arms as he tried to act like he was so very put upon was also a cherished one. Reaper always grumbled about the cuddling but then he was the one doing most of it in afew minutes, having to touch every inch of Genji like it was marking the cyborg entirely as his. Then waking up to have Reaper staring at him, unmasked, sticking his tongue out just enough to look like some sort of snake, bleeping at its owner-

Genji was jolted from his thoughts by the thud of a cup of coffee being set down in front of him as Reinhardt moved to take a seat across from the cyborg, chuckling, “You look like you had a long but pleasant night,”

“A tad too long, but yes, a wonderful night” Genji muffled a yawn, looking at the coffee Reinhardt had put in front of him, “You know I'm not allowed to have coffee. Well, Mercy says I shouldn't drink coffee. Has a stronger kick on my systems,”

Reinhardt only gave a wink, “I won't tell and frankly you will need a kick to get through today's mission no?”

Genji stared at Reinhardt as his groggy mind slowly caught up, “Mission? I don't recall being told we had a mission,”

“You were out last night but McCree and Morrison more or less gathered us for a briefing. It was decided to just tell you in the morning,” the knight explained with an amused look.

“Punishment for taking off. What great friends I have,” Genji drawled, although he reached out now to take the coffee, “Don't tell Mercy,”

The cyborg glanced around as he poured a bit of Reinhardt's coffee into breakfast fares, all but expecting Mercy to spring out and confiscated it entirely. It wasn't that caffeine or alcohol was particularly harmful to his robotic systems, just that his liquid based digestion literally now absorbed anything in his food quickly resulting in a caffeine buzz being far stronger. He has learned that lesson the hard way once when having consumed an energy drink against Mercy's orders and then spending the next few hours bouncing off the walls jittery with a twitching eye and his shoulder steaming like an old-fashioned train. 

A little bit of coffee though to help perk him up though could be forgiven this time. It wasn't the same as an entire energy drink at the very least.

“I won't. It is a secret between us,” Reinhardt assured, still smiling, “But no, it is not punishment, just the setup for this mission takes more than just dropping us all off I suppose. Something about disguises,”

Genji arched an eyebrow as he took a sip of his liquid breakfast, swallowing the mixture quickly. Although he couldn't taste the slop, the texture always made Genji cringe a little. Like drinking hot rice porridge that had far too much water making it a gooey, abysmal mess, “Who is going then?”

“Well not me, I'm afraid,” Reinhardt let out a sigh, “Winston, Torbjörn, Mercy, and myself are staying behind for this one. Too hard to disguise as we are rather large or public figures. Reaper, Hanzo, McCree, Morrison, Tracer, Zenyatta, and yourself will be getting into the viper nest,”

“Why me?” Genji asked before pausing, brow furrowing before making a face, “They aren't disguising me as a sex bot are they? I don't need to reinforce any sort of stereotypes that I look like I fuck and or hump anything that moves. You know how much fetish porn people made of me while I was in Overwatch? ”

Reinhardt gave a loud laugh, shaking his head, “ Oh that was a time to be alive! All the pictures out there, why it was a strange thing to discover in the internet. But all nostalgia of our strange fans aside, I doubt that they will disguise you as a sex bot! I don't know the details to be honest. McCree is being very Blackwatch about the whole thing. Dragged off Morrison and Tracer this morning. Thought I saw Reaper ghosting into the room a few moments later,”

Genji let out a sigh, “If they even try to make me gussied up like a sex bot, I'm going to meditate very hard on why I call them friends,” He murmured, “And disown them all for the next week. Except maybe Reaper because he will just sit on me if I shun him and he's a lot heavier than he looks,”

“Have a little more faith in us,” Reinhardt couldn't wipe the smile off his face though as he patted Genji on the back, “We have a meeting in a few minutes as well,”

“A few minutes and you aren't already there? Running late this morning?” Genji asked, giving a faint smile before quickly moving to finish his breakfast. He was already starting to feel the small jitters of the caffeine starting to work its way into his system, “That isn't like you,”

“Zenyatta suggested I slow down and enjoy things a little more and not get caught up in work. Such wisdom he has. Really talking with him and Winston about the philosophies of life and the great works of passionate thinkers was invigorating!” Reinhardt picked up his half empty coffee and seemed to swallow the black liquid in one slurp.

Genji just shook his head, chuckling some as he rose to his feet. He paused to stretch some, feeling not sore per say, just a little stiff. Maybe he would do a more vigorous stretching regiment and see if Mercy could help in getting the joints moving more fluid with a bit of internal lubricant changes. He was due for a tune up again as it were. 

He looked to Reinhardt with a smile, tilting his head, “He does have a tendency to make everything sound like a good idea,” 

Reinhardt gave a nod, rising to his own feet, “That our monkish friend does. Shall we get to the meeting then Genji?”

“Might as well. Have to see what terror they have in store for me,” Genji sighed. 

The meeting room was more or less empty other than Mercy and Winston having a hushed discussion and Torbjörn looking half asleep at the table. There was no sign of the others supposedly going on the mission that had Genji feeling apprehensive although he slid into a seat casually, clearing his throat, “So, am I that late to the party?”

Winston and Mercy both looked up when Genji spoke, the gorilla pushing up his glasses as he shook his head, “Well no, not that I'm aware of. I think McCree wanted to get a head start on some of the practical disguises he is working on,”

“Didn't even know McCree knew how to apply make-up,” Reinhardt admitted with a shake of his head, “But I suppose our comrades in Blackwatch have a different set of talents than ourselves,”

“Makes sense given what they handled,” Mercy gave a small smile to Genji, “You look a little drained this morning Genji. Are you feeling well? Anything not feeling right with your systems?”

Genji shook his head, “No, no I'm fine just the past few days have been emotionally draining and then spent the whole day on the move and didn't get a full recharge. Maybe could use a tune up after the mission though,,”

Mercy gave a nod, “Sounds fine to me. I'll make sure to see about hardware updates as well,” 

The cyborg gave a nod as he folded his hands on the table, “But, other than my health, I also don't know what this plan even is as our great planners have kept it hush hush so, given I missed the gatheringlast night, what is this plan of ours anyways that all of you discussed last night? I need brought up to speed,”

“Can do,” Winston leaned forward to press a few keys on the table keyboard, light beaming upwards from the center, “Talon's auction of their latest weaponry is happening in your home country, specifically the city of Kyoto. They seem to have a robotics facility nearby according to traces Athena has done and this may be where they are looking to produce the first prototypes of their own cyborgs. Morrison's assumption that they wouldn't move it far from their base of operation was correct so it seems that little heist you pulled worked in our favor,”

Genji gave a nod, frowning some as he watched the holographic projector pull up the building in question, mapping out the interior, giving a thorough layout of the place, “So how are we getting in?”

“Right through the front door,” Reinhardt cut in, crossing his arms with a grin, “Our friends in Blackwatch suggested we disguise some of our members and simply take part in the auction. While that is going on, a small striker team will work their way to the labs to steal the data. Those of you who are in disguise on the floor need to get the commander of Talon present at the auction alone and shake him down for information,”

Mercy gave a nod, pressing a key to change the holographic to a large man, looking rather arrogant, “This is the commander in question. A high ranked and dangerous criminal known only as Atrius. Some sort of made up name to hide his identity. But through a little digging, we know he was formely known though by the name Isamu Yamashita, youngest daughter of the Yamashita Clan before it was destroyed some time back by the Shimada clan. Around the age of ten for you so best not to let him figure out you are a Shimada,” 

 

“Simple and straight forward enough I suppose,” Genji murmured, “Not like I'm planning on making friends on this trip. So who is doing what? Reinhardt says I'm going in but I'm not sure how you plan on disguising me at all,” Genji crossed his arms, leaning back as Winston's fingers flew over the keyboard. 

“Hanzo and Reaper were picked for the striker team They can move fast and are more experienced with infiltration of this magnitude. They'll be with you for only a portion of the trip. As for your part, you are the leading man of the disguised team,” Winston explained, pushing up his glasses and giving a faint smile, “You'll be playing the part of a crime boss of the Kurosawa clan, the son of the late Hideaki Kurosawa, TaroKurosawa. From how McCree explained it, the Kurosawa Clan is, more or less a false clan that Blackwatch used to infiltrate meetings and gatherings to gain intel while under the guise of being part of the in crowd, managing a black market empire on the side of their Blackwatch duties. A way to get into meetings of crime families in Japan at the height of the Shimada rule and supposedly also for gaining illegal arms and money to keep supplied,”

“Explains why Blackwatch never got upset over budget cuts,” Torbjörn put in with a shake of his head.

Genji tilted his head, giving Winston an incredulous look, “Won't someone ask where the clan even went for so long? Or why the person in charge is a cyborg that looks suspiciously like an Overwatch agent?”

“The clan has been maintained, or at least, kept on the radar by Reyes it seems as a means to move around easier,” Mercy answered as she gave a small shrug, “Honestly it is a fairly complex setup and I'm not surprised Reyes would maintain it. As for how you look, McCree assured everyone to leave it to him to handle. The agent who used to play the part of the head of the clan is currently retired and about seventy-eight and senile, so we are acting on the assumption that you are his son and the new heir and that the radio silence from the Kurosawa clan has been a result of internal problems and uprisings that happened in the wake of the Shimada clan's fall,”

 

For a long moment, Genji stared at them with a flat look, carefully crossing his arms,“All I can ask is who's idea was to make me the clan head? I think my brother would have given a hundred and one reasons why I shouldn't be the head of anything, especially a crime family,”

“You have experience Genji and your overall appearance is not known entirely to the clans. You didn't attend most meetings, according to your brother,” Winston explained with a shrug, “And we need someone with a great deal of charisma to loosen up the tongue of the commander,”

 

“I feel like, once more, my past has returned to punish me for my mistakes,” Genji murmured looking down at his hands with a frown, “I don't think this is going to work,”

The idea was a good one and had the best potential to work but the fact that he had to step back into a lifestyle he had abandoned, to take up the mantle of a clan head, something he had run away from all his life, that put Genji on edge. He was taking a step backwards into the past not a step into the future. What might be found in the could have beens of the past were not something he had wanted to dwell on.

“Its our best shot,” Mercy let out a sigh, “Although I personally feel I should be coming with you,”

“The risk is too great and your face is far too well known, Angela,” Reinhardt shook his head, “We will be on call though if things do turn out for the worse,”

“Which they will when they take one look at me,” Genji responded, gesturing to his appearance, “Talon has seen me quiet a few times. They know me. They know all of us. What is McCree going to do? Stick a note card on our foreheads that say ' not Overwatch' with a fake twirly mustache? ”

“You got to have some faith in me partner. I can pull off wonders with a brush and a little bit of make-up!” Genji turned at the sound of McCree's voice, eyes widening some and his mouth, perhaps dropping open a little.

The cowboy didn't look like himself at all, wearing a proper suit like that of a bodyguard, his hair having been died blond and carefully combed over giving him a rather professional look. Even his beard was trimmed neatly. The whole disguise was completed with a pair of glasses and obvious make-up work add about ten years of age to his face, “Cat got your tongue Genji?”

“How did you- since when could you do this?” Genji finally managed out.

McCree gave a chuckle, shaking his head as he tugged a bit at one of his cuffs, “I grew up in a Wild Western show. I had to learn to doll myself up to look good for a show and to help other actors put on make-up. Around Halloween, actually learned all sorts of tricks. In Blackwatch I just perfected it all as practical disguises work better than anything when going undercover,”

He moved into the room, followed in by Morrison and Tracer, dressed similarly to McCree, although the make-up work done to them was different. Morrion's scars had been softened out and his hair dyed black, swept aside in a look that made him honestly look like some strange edgy bodyguard type and about ten years younger. Tracer was frowning some, pursing her plump lips, accentuated with make-up, twirling her fingers around her long hair, lengthened through help of some sort of extension process, “This feels so strange to be honest, like I'm not in my own skin,” she commented with a sigh, “I look like some sort of model or something,”

“That means the disguise is working I suppose,” Soldier 76 murmured as he took a seat and crossing his arms, “At least if someone recognizes any of us they have one hell of a bullshit radar,”

McCree gave a chuckle as he came up behind Genji's chair, clapping his hands to the back of it, “ready to put your face on?”

“I retract my previous statements. How about you just doll me up as a sex bot and we work with that, yes?” Genji mumbled, shoulders slumping, “Because that is sounding better now that I think about it,”

Reinhardt shook his head, giving an amused look to Genji, “Come now, my friend. It will be fine,”

Genji heaved a sigh as he rose to his feet, frowning, “I only do this because I must but even with your clearly impressive skills, I doubt you are going to work a miracle with me,” he glanced around the table before turning to face McCree,” Where is Zeynatta?”

“Oh he's ready to go but went to do his meditations. He's honestly having a lot of fun with the idea and wanted to do some research on the internet to better his role,” McCree explained, giving a slight bow towards the door, “Please, come step into my office. I'll show you a miracle and a half!”

 

Genji eyed the cowboy as he passed before letting out a sigh as McCree put a hand on his shoulder as the two walked to wherever he had worked his disguise magic. Every step though Genji felt his apprehension growing, a ball of nerves that he couldn't quiet place as nerves for the mission or at the nerves at what he had to play pretend for. It didn't help the first thing he saw when stepping into the room was his old passport picture quietly smirking at him on the computer screen.

Genji nearly dug his heels in right then and there to keep himself from being pulled in.

“Is there a reason you have my old photo there?” Genji growled out as McCree half dragged him to the chair at the center of the room, pushing the reluctant Shimada into it.

“Better to use passport photos. The lighting is fine and no background colors to get in the way of picking out skintones,” McCree explained, glancing up, “Reyes, you got the outfit? Best if we get him dressed so we know where we need to apply the synthetic adhesives to. Don t' got enough or enough time to do a whole body,”

Turning his head to the right, Genji saw Reaper leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed and wearing the uniform of a limousine driver, completely with hat. His mask was gone, instead his face covered by a scarf from the nose down and a pair of goggles, the red of his eyes blazing and giving him an appearance of an older machine model like those used before omnics had become wide-spread. 

Reaper gave a snort as he pushed himself off the wall, complying with McCree's request and going to a stack of clothes, starting to thumb through them, “You are lucky this site was still stocked for infiltration,”

“All the bases were from my understanding. Just lucky this one wasn't sacked more like it,” McCree eyed Genji over before glancing to the picture, “Green seems to be his color if we have anything in that vein,”

 

“Am I getting a disguise or a make-over on a television show?” Genji murmured, sinking down in his seat.

His quip went unanswered as the two men busied themselves with their task, leaving Genji to flick his gave over the familiar face on the screen. He hadn't seen a picture of what he looked like in years. Just looking at the picture with that confident, brash look, features still smoth and youthful without any scars, everything about it made Genji suddenly self-conscious about his own looks, raising a hand to trace over the familiar mapwork of scars his younger self's picture lacked. 

He was jolted from his thoughts by Reaper's hand on his shoulder, the mercenary all but tossing a bundle of clothes on, “Do you need help getting dressed?” he asked, tilting his head.

Genji shook his head, dainty holding up the shirt handed to him, making a face, “Why is I that all crime families date their style back twenty centuries and play up every stereotype? This looks like the Edo period crap my father always used to wear,”

“Crime families love Hollywood and love the stereotypes themselves. Godfather changed the face of the actual mafia when it came out. All that anime junk I suppose gave the Japanese crime family's some fuel for thought,” McCree gave a chuckle, his gaze shifting to the picture and back to the his kit, picking out tones from an impressive array of costume make-up, “Now get dressed already. Time is ticking,”

With a shake of his head, Genji started to slip into the outfit, wincing a bit as parts caught on his robotic parts trying to be areful and not rip the material Eventually he got the majority of the outfit on, tying the sashesto lay right. The socks though were still a pain, especially when he didn't have the toes to actually wear tabi socks anymore. 

“I hope you went with actual shoes and not sandals despite your pick of socks,” Genji grumbled, as he cinched in the ends of his pants tight and tying off the excess, “Because metal boot robot feet don't do sandals,”

“You'll be wearing boots again,” Reaper murmurd, dropping a pair into his lap, “Eastern style of course,”

Genji just sighed, leanding down to slip into them, murmingunder his breath. McCree started to push his mobile kit over, seating himself next to Genji with a chuckle, “Now you are halfway there to looking like a crime boss. Now for the hard part though,” the cowboy gentle raised a hand to tilt Genji's face towards his, “Now let's see what I'm working with here,”

Genji frowned some, glancing away to avoid McCree's gaze, “You are working with a whole lot of-”

“Shh. Quiet while I work and keep still,” McCree murmured, moving Genji's face from side to side, taking in the different angles with a critical eye, “Around what age did you get that photo there taken?”

Genji flicked his gaze to the passport photo of himself, giving a small shrug, “Just around twenty-four I think? Twenty-four or twenty-three I can't remember exactly,” 

McCree gave a nod, reaching back to the keyboard of the computer, tapping a few keys quickly. In the blink of an eye the picture changed, the face aging before Genji's eyes. The boyish charm had melted away to a more mature face, the jaw more prominent and the confident smirk seemed to soften into a more regal look, of someone self-assured of themselves and their abilities. The face was his own yes, but in it, Genji saw far too much of his own father. 

Really the picture had Genji looking away quickly, finding it too hard to look at. It was a face he should have had now, if he was not a cyborg. If he was still completely human. That was the man he was suppose to have become if his brother had not saw fit to execute him for the clan's sake. Genji resisted the urge to reach a hand up and touched his too scarred face, grafted to metal, frozen at the age he had nearly died at. A face he had come to accept as his own and had been fine with seeing in mirrors. He had made peace with it all.

He had at least, until he had to face himself as he could have been. 

 

McCree took both of Genji's hands, inspecting them before glancing up at the cyborg, “Which hand do you for the throwing start thing and if so, can you flex it open. Just got to see how it all unfolds,” 

Genji did as told quietly, flexing both hands, frowning some as McCree shook his head,”That is going to take a lot of work to sync. What do you think Reaper? We have time?”

“Just apply it as best you can and hope he doesn't have to use it,” Reaper murmured, crouching near the computer, fingers flying over the keys as it started to pick up the various skin tones in the picture, compiling it to another file quickly, “We going with the hair color in the picture or-”

“Use the shade of the follicles for the eyebrow. We aren't going entirely green hair youngster here. Maybe a few dark green highlights,” McCree interrupted sitting back, giving Genji a smile, “You doing okay?”

“I feel like you are going to give me an existential crisis but I suppose I need that on top of everything else,” Genji drawled, “Just get this over with already,”

 

McCree gave a nod to Reaper who just gave a passing glance over, a slight hesitation to his posture before he continued with whatever work he was handling. At this point, Genji could care less, closing his eyes as the cowboy started to apply make-up to his face. He didn't know how long he sat there, having the two push and prod him, feeling something being stretched over his fingers and part of his face. The feeling of having part of the helmet he wore taken of, something he rarely if ever did now and days, just served to unsettle him more. It felt like part of his identity was being undone. 

It didn't help he couldn't see what they were doing other than a glance at his hands, now looking like he had skin again. Hands that look very human from the small discolorations of flush like he had proper blood vessels beneath. Even flexing the fingers, whatever synthetic skin applied stretched and behaved as normal human skin would bunching up at the joints when the fingers curled and stretching thin when all five were spread wide.

Genji could only imagine what his face looked like now. 

 

“And there we go,” McCree took a step back, shaking his head but grinning at his work, “Took two hours but I say I got it down pat,” 

Reaper crossed his arms staring silently as Genji looked warily between them, resisting the urge to raise a hand to rub at his face, “Can I get a mirror or something so I can see what you even did?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

McCree gave a nod, rummaging in the kit before pulling out a mirror. He gave it a rub with his sleeve before handing it to Genji, “Telling you what, this is some of my best work. Clearly I still have it even if the old man here wants to not acknowledge that,”

Genji just gave a distracted nod as he lifted the mirror slowly to look at his face, feeling every nerve in his body tense up, afraid to see what was there but too curious to not look. In the mirror stared a face, a face that seemed so incredibly wrong and foreign, but at the same time, completely natural. Completely human. He looked like that older picture of himself now, the machine parts of his jaw and side of his head covered in the same synthetic skin, make-up applied to hide all the scars and blend the false skin to the real seamlessly, bringing more shape to his eyes and the delicate slant of his eyebrows. The metal protrusions from the side of his head had been used to give the appearance of wearing a headband more, some sort of wig or the like carefully attached to strength the appearance, reminding Genji of to much of the style he used to wear his hair in his youth. His hands were shaking some as he stared, wide-eyed at something that felt like a doppleganger.

This wasn't his face. 

He lowered the mirror, looking away with a slight wince, “It is...rather too good McCree,”

McCree's brow furrowed a bit in confusion and he gave a shrug, “Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it? I mean, think of it like a mask. As soon as we are done you can pull it all off,”

Genji gave a nod, reaching a hand to touch his face briefly, staring into the mirror. He looked so completely normal right now, the kind of face that could blend into a crowd, that no one would stare at. A small kernel of longing bloomed and wanted to protest having to take off this disguise ever. Why not keep it together and feel as human as he did on the inside on the outside? It was just make-up and the like. Harmlessly covering up his real features to allow for a sense of normalcy.

Deep inside he knew though that as soon as he started wearing this mask, he would only end up hurting himself and become dependent on the mask to feel safe. Just as Reaper did now. 

“I don't like it,” Reaper's voice cut through Genji's thoughts, making him glance up in surprise, “Your normal features are fine enough,”

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Genji's mouth as he set down the mirror, moving to get to his feet. That comment alone soothed his fears a little. Just a little. He moved up next to the mercenary, reaching to take his hand in his. He was wearing black silk gloves to go with his disguise of a limo driver and it was honestly odd to see him dressed so formally and no doubt he was feeling out of his skin in more ways than one, “Thank you. At least someone likes my pretty scarred face eh?”

There was only a grunt from Reaper, those red eyes behind the goggles twitching, looking about everywhere as if not sure if they were suppose to be seen or not. No doubt it was taking some concentration to keep them manifested properly.

Genji gave a slight chuckle, turning towards McCree, “So now what?”

“Now its getting close to showtime,” McCree answered, handing Genji a folded up fan, “You might want to keep this. Be careful with how you flick it open though as its a-”

“I know. Its contains a hidden energy blade. I used to have like ten of these,” Genji murmured, taking the fan, opening it to admire briefly the blue and green cranes taking flight across the silk fan. He flicked it closed before giving another flick, a small energy dagger emerging with a hiss. It took him back really, back to his clan and the sort of life he grew up in. When he and his brother had gone out anywhere, they had been carrying some form of small weapon in case of an attack. The energy blade fans were popular, hard to detect, and easy to travel with. Just another small detail of his disguise that was hitting too close to his past. 

“Torbjörn will fly us there then drop us off. We get in the limo and then you, your escort, and your bodyguards join in the auction,” Reaper lifted a hand to hand Genji a chip, “Bet in the auction and get the cyborg prototype,”

Genji took the chip from Reaper, glancing down and noticing it was a banking chip of some sort, “Should I be worried about a money limit?”

“There is enough illegal transactions and banking on that chip to buy yourself a country,” Reaper responded, crossing his arms. 

McCree blew out a low whistle, “You have been keeping busy haven't you?”

Reaper just tilted his head, “I don't destroy what I've spent a lifetime building,” 

 

Genji let out a sigh, rolling his shoulders some, taking a deep breath, “Okay then. Time to rendezvous with the others then and get this over with. Join the auction. Get the information. Get the intel. Get home,”

 

He moved forward, focusing on keeping his posture straight and keeping his steps measured. Years of practice from his youth returned to Genji in memories of walking behind his father as a boy and trying to mimic his graceful steps. He was following in the footsteps of his father once more, following those steps into a role and life that put him on edge. 

It was just an act though. This wasn't who he was, not anymore. Not ever. 

He entered the room again, offering a slight smile as all eyes turned to stare. Tracer gawked, rising to her feet some, “Genji? That really you?” She asked, “You look really different and very-”

“Very human looking I know,” Genji gave a slight sigh, “Not going to lie though. I feel very strange and out of place,”

Genji's gaze flitted around the room, noticing everone was present except for Zenyatta. Hanzo had joined the group, wearing the same uniform as Reaper. Out of everyone in the room though, it was Genji's brother who seemed the most shocked, the usual stony facade he wore shattering. Hanzo looked as if a ghost had walked in, his complexion going pale and the tension in his shoulders was visible. At catching Genji's eyes, he quickly looked away, a look of regret, sorrow, and guilt shining clearly on his face before quickly replaced by the usual disinterest expression he wore to hide his emotions. 

A bitter smile twisted Genji's lips. His brother couldn't bare to even look at him when he looked like he was still alive and still fully human. The very picture of what Hanzo no doubt wished for. 

“So where is Zenyatta? Isn't he coming with us?” Tracer asked, looking about, “I know he went to do some meditations and-”

“I am here. I would not be late to stand at the side of my favorite student,” the calm, almost teasing tenor of Zenyatta's voice had Genji turning to meet his teacher, only to gawk at him and take a step back.

“Master! What are you wearing?” Genji protested, staring at the omnic now clad in a rather skimpy outfit meant to hug the form, almost translucent in parts. The orbs that usually floated about the monk were now disguised as some sort of necklace, the face of the omnic painted up with elegant sweeping designs. Anyone with two eyes who had spent any time in the red light district of Japan would know the sight of an omnic escort, a mecha of the night, a mile away. 

Zenyatta gave a chuckle, putting his hands on his hips, walking rather than floating and doing his best to make a rather alluring pose, “I am wearing a disguise. I find it fascinating that organics find my kind dressed like this so visually appeasing. I did some research to make sure to pick a design I found very pleasing for my facial features,”

“This night is going to kill me on all levels,” Genji groaned, “My master is a sex escort. My friends are my bodyguards, my brother and my boyfriend are pretending to be my limo drivers and I'm pretending to be a crime boss. Is there any other emotional irony we can add to this? Is Mercy going to call me and pretend to be my mother?”

“Calm down Genji. You'll jinx us with that sort of complaining,” Morrison drawled, rising to his feet. 

Zenyatta only chuckled, moving up to hook his arms around his student's arm, a few inches shorter than his student. Sometimes Genji forgot he was taller by a few inches as rarely did Zenyatta walk when he could float, “Are you ready to go then, darling?”

Genji made a face, “I should get use to that name shouldn't I?” He murmured, “Still doesn't change the fact that taking you as an escort omnic makes me feel like like I'm taking my highschool teacher to prom,”

“Please Genji. You are far too serious,” Zenyatta chuckled, raising a hand to pat his cheek earning a tired, withering look from his student, “You are the leader of a clan of criminals, not going to your execution,”

“Pardon me if those things feel like one and the same right now,” Genji let out a sigh before looking at the group, “Then shall we be on our way?”

He was answered by the scrapping of chairs as those going on the mission rose to their feet, giving nods and a few murmurs of yes. It wasn't long until they were loaded onto the high-speed jet and on their way halfway across the globe to pull of this next step in thwarting Talon's latest scheme. 

It was just a mission. That is what Genji kept telling himself. It was just a mission. That is what he told himself as he watched the landscape fly by, only half paying attention to the conversation between Tracer and Zenyatta, the young British woman gushing about a cute couple she had seen dating omnics and how she wished the best for them despite all that had occurred of late. 

Reaper was silent but that was nothing new. He wasn't without comfort though for Genji, having sat next to the cyborg, one hand sliding into Genji's own with a small squeeze of reassurance. The disguised cyborg sent a small smile Reaper's way, returning the squeeze.

It was only a mission. 

But it was feeling less like one as the jet touched down on the far outskirts of Kyoto and they were soon piling into a limo, biding Torbjörn farewell. Not even Tracer's usual upbeat attitude could pierce through the feral, electrifying tension that had overtaken them all. 

Genji sat back, looking out the window past where McCree sat, watching the neon signs of Kyoto's night life pass by, the Japanese characters plastered across the signs doing little to ease his mind. There wasno nostalgia in any of the sights around them, only a sense of traveling back in time, the flashing colors ticking back each second. Soon he would have to bury himself under the persona of someone he used to be.

“Nervous?” Morrison's voice broke the silence, drawing Genji's attention to the soldier as he continued to stare out the window.

“A bit yes. Not about my performance but about,” Genji paused before letting out a sigh, “This all feels very surreal. I have spent a lifetime running from this sort of life and yet here I am,”

“Perhaps then, it is time to stop running?” Zenyatta spoke up, tilting his head, “You've come to terms with yourself but perhaps this is your test, the final temptation. When faced with the past, the world that could have been, what path will you ultimately take?”

 

Genji closed his eyes, hands clutching at his knees. The path to enlightenment and to true inner peace was one that required vigorous self reflection yes, but it also included facing temptation in order to see the true character within. His hands curled into fists and he opened his eyes, his gaze icy, “I will not go back to what I was and I will not let Talon ruin what chances the world has to take steps forward,”

Zenyatta gave a small nod, a pleased aura seeming to radiate from the monk, “Excellent. I stand by you and together, we shall overcome,” 

McCree gave a chuckle, “And I got your back through this Genji. I won't let you go anywhere, not unless you want to drag me down the hole you fall into,”

“Same with me!” Tracer put in, “We are family now and family doesn't let family have bad habits, well, most bad habits,” she gave a pointed look to McCree who gave a snort.

“Smoking is my stress relief Tracer. You aren't gonna get me to give up smoking just like that,” He drawled, earning a huff from Tracer. 

Reaper tilted his head some, watching then in the rear view mirror briefly, those burning red eyes almost seemed to, in that instant narrow in some sort of amusement, the face behind the goggles and veil expressing a small glimmer of proper emotion. A silent indication he was still there with them to some extent. 

Hanzo remained the most silent, staring out through the front window from where he sat beside Reaper. His posture was tense, looking weighed down almost, but there was something in his eyes, some conflict that was turning into a storm, flashes of a growing fury of some sort starting to grow. It was a look that Genji had not seen in his brother's eye in a long, long time. Not since the night his brother had moved to take his life. 

“Two blocks away,” Reaper warned as they halted at a stoplight, “Get ready,”

Genji took a deep breath, flicking open the fan, waving it some to try and get some air circulation as he looked between his three “bodyguards” and his “escort”, “We all get out of this in one piece together. No one plays hero,”

Morrison gave a nod, “We can't afford a heroic sacrifice, not when we need every soldier we can find to fight back,”

“Watch out for own, first and foremost,” McCree gave a small chuckle, glancing to where Reaper was, “That's what you always used to teach us in Blackwatch. Watch out for our own. If we fail for the sake of one life or even a few lives, then everything else is lost,”

“I used to say that,” Reaper growled out as the light turned green, “My philosophy has changed,” 

Morrison crossed his arms, sitting back, a frown on his face, “And what is your philosophy now?”

Reaper glanced up in the mirror, silent for a moment before his eyes fell to the road, turning to head up a winding road, barely more than alleyway, that lead towards a huge, glimmering mansion. It was only when they were pulling up in front of the building, a few of the hired servants moving forward towards their limo that Reaper spoke up, “Don't lose whatever the cost,” 

Hanzo opened his door first, getting out and quickly moving to get the back passenger door, dropping a low bow as he did so, every inch the proper footman, “ Mister Kurosawa Taro,” he said, his tone clipped. 

Genji held back the wince, keeping his face impassive as Morrison and Tracer left the car first, neither looking like themselves, blank faced and narrowed eyed like bodyguards would be, surveying the scene. Genji took one last breath like a diver taking a gulp of air before the plunge, letting it out slowly through his nose, “Showtime,” he murmured. 

The Genji Shimada that stepped out of the vehicle had no sense of humor surrounding him, but an icy sort of aura despite that thin, almost cruel little smirk he had on his face. His posture was relaxed, one arm loosely held in Zenyatta's embrace as the omnic rested his head against Genji's arm like an adoring concubine to their lord. 

The servants who had gathered bowed, as McCree stepped out last, protecting Genji from behind as he looked around. Hanzo gave another modest bow to the servants of the event, “Presenting Mister Kurosavwa Taro, head of the Kurosawa clan,” he murmured before ducking out of the way, moving to close the door behind McCree and then back to his seat.

“Kursoawa, it has been a long time and Talon is most pleased you have answered our calls after such a long silence,” one of those gathered servants said, thumbing through their tablet, “there were rumors your clan had fallen in the chaos after the Shimada clan's fall,”

The smirk on Genji's face grew as he tilted his head, arching an eyebrow, “My clan having falled? Exaggerations I'll assure you. There was merely some internal affairs to handle and the fall of the Shimada clan just made it that much more tedious,” he gave a dismissive wave of his hand, “But by no means have we been gone but the players in the criminal world have changed and I'm curious to see what Talon has to offer,”

The head of the flock of servants gave a pleased smile and a bow of the head gesturing grandly, “If you would follow me then Lord Kurosawa,”

“Lord Kurosawa,” Genji repeated, giving a chuckle, “Has a nice ring to it I suppose, doesn't it love?”

Zenyatta gave a twitter, “You have always been Lord Kurosawa to me, master,” he cooed. 

Internally Genji felt himself die a little bit inside at that statement, feeling so awkward but he didn't let it show, only chuckling as he followed the servant, the three body guards keeping close. He didn't spare a glance over his shoulder as he heard the limo pull away. His brother and Reaper were onto the next stage of their side of the plan to get into the facility.

Now he had to just keep Talon's attention on himself and give them time to get inside. 

The doors before him open with a pair of twin omnics bowing low, dressed in matching suits with bright purple waistcoats and bowties to match, admitting Genji to the surreal scene inside. In that moment it felt like a dream, the colorful lights and murmur of small talk, hundreds of individuals standing there, dressed in a dazzling display of colors with outfits crossing cultures across the globe. It looked more like a gala than a gathering of criminal minds, the decoration befitting a place of royalty and a small orchestra strummed to the side adding a slow soothing hum of violins to the picturesque scene. It was like walking onto a movie set. Fitting Genji thought, as they were all wearing masks and playing a part this evening. 

Eyes turned to regard him but there was not abhorrence or outright curiosity like he was some sort of mystical animal, not the stares he would have gotten if they had known what he truly was. It was almost more unnerving to have a sort of kinship and acceptance into the group. Such a small thing that was so unfamiliar. A sense of not being some special case to examine. 

Just to feel normal again and to be another face in crowd.

His grip about Zenyatta's arm increased some as his eyes narrowed some. The monk gave a soothing pat leaning in, “Easy dear,” he murmured softly, “It will be okay,”

Genji swallowed hard before descending the stairwell to the crowd, keeping that confident smirk on his face, practically strutting and standing tall, every inch a clan head. He shared a few casual greetings in passing, his three bodyguards keeping close. Tracer played her part well, giving slight sneers of disdain, working her lips into a huffy pout that looked so unnatural for her character.At the same time, McCree had an almost callous, cruel stride, looking through his fake glasses and down his nose at everyone around. Morrison een managed some sort of confident look that seemed a twisted mockery of the smile he used to give on all the posters of himself in the past. All of it just served to unnerve Genji more so. Nothing felt natural at all but no one else seemed to sense that. The servant lead them through the crowd, no one paying much mind to the newcomers other than a passing glance to try to place him and his entourage. 

 

“The auction starts in half an hour in the conference room. Dinner will be provided after room in the ballroom,” The servant explained, their tone clipped and to the point, “There will be an attendant if you need to request any sort of refreshments,” 

“The typical lay of the land,” Genji responded, his own tone a bored drawl, letting out a slight sigh, “Is there any baijiu on hand? I've become rather particular to the home brewed ales of China's mainland,”

“Of course sir. A flask will be delivered to you right away,” the man gave a dip of his head as he stepped aside, allowing them into a booth, “Again, the auction starts in half an hour for the armaments after the host and resident Commander Atrius speaks,”

“Yes, yes, the proceedings are completely understood,” Genji waved a hand with a roll of his eyes, scowling, “Will be interesting to see what this Talon has to say about the world and what sort of goals they want,” 

The servant pursed their lips before giving a bow and leaving the booth area. Genji slid into a seat, leaning back while Zenyatta all but curled up against his side, one leg swinging over his lap making Genji tense before he could school his body language again, “Where on earth did you learn that?” he murmured. 

“The internet is a cesspool of strange desires and mind boggling affairs,” Zenyatta responded, his tone amused, “The things people conventionalize about my kind, why if aliens were to visit earth and inquire to what omnics were, they would think us all hpyersexual machines bent on destroying human genitalia,”

McCree was holding back his laughter from the choked sound he gave that he covered as a cough but Tracer couldn't keep the incredulous look off her face, shaking her head, “I'm sorry you had to see all that with your own two....three eyes?”

Zenyatta gave a chuckle, laying his head against Genji's shoulder, lightly trailing a hand over the cyborg's leg, “Well, at least I learned how I should act to be a quote unquote sexy minx yes?”

“You are making this entirely too awkward, dear,” Genji drawled, “What would my lover say?”

“Best not to tell him,” the disguised Morrison murmured, “Not unless you want him riled up,”

“Maybe I do?” Genji commented, leaning back, propping his feet up, flicking open the fan, the very picture of a powerful, vain, young crime boss, “Besides the point though really. We are here for a purpose,”

Down below where they sat there were chairs set up, most likely for the rabble of smaller gangs that got baited into coming just to be dazzled by everything. The easily impressed sort that could be swallowed up by the larger crime organizations or by Talon itself. Just another facet of these gathering more or less. Any opportunity for a criminal organization to show off its strength was to be taken. Even the Shimada clan had hosted many such gatherings to snatch up proxy gangs into their empire.

Usually though Genji had skipped out to go mess around with his friends, causing a ruckus on the streets, riding on the back of the motorcycle of his then boyfriend. Well, sometimes the boyfriend. Sometimes the girlfriend. The cyborg gave a shake of his head to pull himself away from those memories, shifting some in his seat. Honestly he couldn't really call those past affairs relationship when he had not cared much for any of those he had been with. 

“So, everything still working? No jam signals or the like? I wouldn't like to get boxed in here,” Genji murmured.

“No sir, communication is still open,” Morrison responded, gentle touching the com unit he wore, “Nothing to report,”

Genji gave a small nod, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, letting it out through his nose, “We win this auction. That should get their attention no?”

“Undoubtedly dear,” Zenyatta cooed, nuzzling close. 

“You are having too much fun with this aren't you?” Genju murmured, shaking his head and leaning back.

“I want to do a good job of staying in characters,” Was the hushed response, “Besides, we are not in any real danger so why be so serious,” 

Morrison crossed his arms, frowning some as he watched the stage be set up for the auction, the final touches to the speaker podium at the center, his shoulders tensed, “We are in deep. One wrong move, taking things too far, and we could all end up dead. The violence will be as swift as a bullet to the head,” 

“I see,” Zenyatta murmured, a bit of his enthusiasm dimming. Really though, Genji couldn't blame Morrison for saying what he had said. They were a small group of Overwatch agents in the middle of enemy territory and any wrong mood could have them becoming rather dead Overwatch agents. 

 

Genji hoped that Hanzo and Reaper were doing fine in achieving their objective at least. 

There was a chiming sound as the auction drew closer, mere minutes from starting now, the various guests coming in to take their seats. Every seat was taken with a crowd of bodyguards and other onlookers lining the walls. The din in the hall grew louder as a few of the larger families took their seats in the booths provided a screen set up in each booth flickering on to give a better view of the stage. 

Eventually, the lights dimmed and there was a round of polite applause as the host of the event stepped forward. Commander Atrius, stepped onto the stage, looking just like his photo that had been shared earlier although he was glad in more fitting attire for the evening, both the symbol of his fallen family and Talon adorning the shoulders. He was a tall man in his late fifties, his form filled out from the hormone therapy he had taken to make the safe transition to a male. He had a power to him with a slight serene smile, holding himself aloft as he turned to regard the crowd as he gripped the podium. He waited for the applause to die down before giving a nod, beginning to speak and fill the room with his powerful, voice “First of all, I wold like to welcome all who have come to our little gathering, the first in a long time as the world believes all of us have simply given up and rolled over to government demands,”

Atrius paused, looking over the crowd, eyes narrowed, “But we have waited long enough and it is time to let the world taste anarchy once more, to have the populace cower as their governments are powerless to help them. It is our time to rise and return the favors of the past,” A cruel smile twisted his features as he leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper, “There are no more heroes left, no more will to fight. The rumors you have heard about Overwatch making a come back are just that, rumors. A few disillusioned renegades being hunted by their own governments,”

There was a few chuckles from the audience at that and Genji could feel his comrades bristle some at the comment. He himself though kept calm, eyes narrowed as he watched Atrius carefully as he spoke. This was the man he would have to speak to later and charm. He had to gleam every little possibility to impress Atrius from the words he put forth to the audience, no matter how rehearsed they may sound. 

“They will be destroyed soon. We have some of our best agents in the field working to crush this kernel of resistance to our reign as we speak. They will not be a problem,” Atrius gave a reassuring smile,”But to aid you in your own endeavors to crush would-be heroes, we are holding this auction to allow you to purchase the weapons you need,” With a grand gesture from Atrius, the curtains behind him parted, revealing crates upon crates of weapons and at the center, what appeared to be a humanoid figure held within an upright coffin, head bowed. 

“The usual arms are for sale of course, but to start, we have a very special item,” Atrius turned to gesture to someone off stage. There was a hiss from the container before it opened revealing what was inside. Genji felt his synthetic blood run cold. 

It was a cyborg, based on his model. The resemblance to some of his workings was extraordinary except done in colors of black and purple and it lacked a face mask, the blank, dead eyes staring off at nothing. The cyborg stepped forward as Atrius gave a smile to the crowd, “This is the first prototype of a legion of half machine soldiers, the schematics stripped from one of Overwatch's oh so beloved agent abominations. Unlike that science project though, these ones have no free will. They are obedient of your every order and have no sense of mercy or morality,” he gave a wider smile, “The killing machines that Overwatch tried to make with Agent 25,”

Genji felt his jaw tighten and his grip on the armrest of his chair intense. His dislike for this Atrius had grown steadily the more he spoke, but it seemed the depths the Talon commander would fall to to make his point were just beginning. Atrius gestured again to someone off stage. A slow shuffing sound heard a trio of omnics were trotted out, the machines looking about, giving small beeps, looking rather lost.

Atrius just tutted, “Machines who think they are actual alive and possess a soul. They are tools. Objects. Things to look at, to use as we please as many of you known,” He gave a grin to the audience that earned a few laughs. Genji felt Zenyatta tense up in his grip pulling away slightly, no longer feeling in the mood to play pretend.

The internet might have shown the idea of omnics being a fetish fuel and source of sexual fantasies in one way that was perhaps humorous or forgivable. That did not mean the reality of such behaviors in the real world followed the same discourse. The reality was a lot bleaker and filled with a dehumanization of his people that was starting to shine its wretched beams of enlightened thought onto the omnic monk. 

Atrius turned to the cyborg, smiling raising a hand to gesture to the three omnics, “Eliminate these rats,”

There was no words said from the Talon-made cyborg. Not a single moment of hesitation. Without a word it was upon the three, ripping them apart, limb from limb, the poor omnics letting out panicked screeches, a shrill cry of help rang out before silence. Zenyatta didn't look away, his grip becoming tighter and tighter on Genji's arm as he beheld the hatred towards his kind play out, the destruction that people in the audience seemed to only hold their silence as they observed but in that sea of faces, there were no sympathetic looks. Even the omnics who served refreshments seemed to grimly watch without making any move to protest the slaughter on the stage.

Three torn bodies were all that remained, their oil blood scattered across in glowing pools as the cyborg stood wordlessly in the mess, staring off. Another facade of what Genji could have become if Overwatch had had far less morals and more desire for him as simply a mindless weapon.

” As you can see,” Atrius began, “Each model is controlled. The brain is removed in part to leave only the parts needed for service left. Completely obedient,” he turned to his audience, spreading his arms wide, “Now I offer it to you. Any takers for this prototype and coding to make your own?”

The room erupted in shouts below while in the booths, the more high ranked groups began to silently put in their bets using the computer monitor provided. Genji felt the scowl that was on his face as he took out the chip Reaper had given him, popping it into the small computer screen that was showing the amount for the bid. Zenyatta just stared dully at the stage, clinging onto his friend, his entire form rigid. 

“You think we will have enough money?” Tracer asked, her voice cracking some. 

“We have enough to buy a small country. We buy that thing and we take care of it,” Genji murmured. He light put am arm around Zenyatta, stroking his shoulder and doing his best to silently comfort his friend. 

It was true Zenatta knew of the hatred for omnics and had seen a few cases but this went beyond cruel. This was ripping down his people to mere tools to use to show off the strength of a real abomination, something that truly was soulless. Innocent beings that were made to suffer for entertainment. It was a violent discourse not yet discussed or considered by the monk, but one that had truly shaken him. Genji was regretting more and more bringing his friend on this mission and allowing him to peer into the darkness that clung to the underbelly of society. 

The auction took of quickly, the amounts jumping higher quickly. Every time the amount jumped though, Genji was quick to tap the screen to bid higher, his expression cold but relaxed. It was not long before no one else was bidding higher than him as he put in the last amount. The room was silent as there was an anxious energy as people glanced about, waiting to see who had won before the chime sounded and Atrius looked down at his pad, giving a smile, “And it seems we have an unexpected winner. Congratulations to the Kurosawa Clan,”

There was polite applause of course and Genji gave the confident smile and gave a few bows of his head, trying to play the arrogant crime boss trying to appear humble when all knew he was laughing on the inside. Or they could assume he was laughing on inside from his facade, but truly Genji wanted nothing more than to bring this entire place down.

They weren't here to play hero though so he smiled, gave a few waves and played the gracious host as the cyborg was being cleaned up by servants to be packaged up again and given to its “new owner” like some sort of pet. Just a weapon to trade. 

It brought to light how fortunate Genji was to be in control of his facilities when it would have been so easy for Overwatch to make him nothing more than a mindless puppet to use against his clan. Mercy still had morals when it came to perfecting her extraordinary craft. Never in a million years would she allow anyone to lose function of their own body to serve a corrupt power. 

The rest of the auction was more or less just weapons, most of them going to the lower ranks in the audience below. Genji didn't even need to look at his companions to know they were taking note of each gang buying and selling. Just one look at Morrison and it was easy to tell he was making a list of new names and faces he had to bring down to ensure the world was safer somehow. 

There was a knock at the booth door which McCree answered, speaking softly with someone before closing the door and coming over to Genji, handing the small invitation card, “Seems you got Atrius's attention,”

“As planned then,” Genji murmured, letting his eyes trace over the invitation, “After the auction he would like to meet in a more private local on the premises. Probably an office of some kind and pretty sure you won't be allowed in,”

“You and Zen could get in together probably,” McCree murmured, “Given his...demonstration, probably doesn't expect much threat from an omnic,”

Genji frowned some. Already Zenyatta had been exposed to enough and given the invitation coming so soon after they had won the bidding, his senses told him that going to this invitation was a trap of some sort. Talon had other offers to make no doubt to his false clan, “I don't think that would be-”

“I will go with you,” Zenyatta interrupted, his grip on Genji's arm tightening for a brief second, “I insist in fact. I do not want to leave you alone. You were right about the dangers here,”

There was a firmness to Zenyatta's voice that was new, a slight edge that Genji knew there was no arguing against. He gave a small nod, although it was reluctant, “Fine then, the two of us will meet with this Atrius and see if we can get him to slip up some and get some information. I feel though that this might be a trap,” 

“We'll be as close as we can but going to find some place we can make a quick move and not get trapped ourselves. No doubt there will be some kind of move against us to keep us from defending our boss,” McCree looked to Morrison and Tracer, “Need to keep on our toes in case this is a move to get Genji to fork over more money at gunpoint,”

“Lone meetings like this always are a gateway to some problem,” Genji let out a slight sigh, “But who knows? There are too many witnesses and people about, could just be a talk, some threats, then send me on my way. That is a possibility but best to plan for the worse. Any word from the others?”

Morrison shook his head, frowning, “No but that is typical. The one I know personally was known for keeping his com off when on a job and popping up when convenient,”

Genji rose to his feet, taking the time to tug at his clothes, getting them to lay just right before raising a hand to ruffle through his hair. It was one thing to fool a few servants or a few passerby, but a commander of Talon on a more one on one setting would be the real challenge tonight, “Well then, my dear, lets be on our way,”

Zenyatta held his arm tight as they exited the room, Genji keeping that smile in place, giving a few nods of greeting and a few apologies to talk later to a few of the higher ranked individuals who came forth, wanting to speak with him. It still felt surreal to have normal reactions to him and he half expected one of them to stop and stare and call him an abomination at some point. 

Soon thought they were admitted into a well kept study with Atrius himself inspecting some of the shelves of books with a passing interest. He turned to regard Genji with a warm smile, his gaze flicking to Zenyatta who turned away some, as if shy but in truth, the cyborg could sense the repulse in his master's action. Up close, Atrius seemed more powerful and more assured. His mere prescence seemed to command a measure of respect that could have done great things if he was in the military or at least with a cause that would do some good for the world. Despite that though, Genji couldn't shake the feeling of evil that seem to crawl about Atrius and that too kind smile. The sort of smile people who acted polite would give before stabbing a body in the back. 

“You wished to speak with me, Commander Atrius?” Genji asked, cocking his head to the side and giving a relaxed, easy-going smile.

“I did,” Atrius approached him, offering a hand to shake, “And please, call me Atrius,”

“Well met Atrius. You may call be Taro then,” Genji gave a chuckle, giving a firm handshake and internally cringing at shaking the hand of a man who could so casually order the death of innocent beings. 

“I asked you here because well, your family has always been hard to pin but it seems your wealth is great, great enough to buy such a high priced asset,” Atrius began, taking a step back, “That is some impressive finances honestly, Talon could benefit from such wealthy allies,”

Genji arched an eyebrow, “Allies? Why commander. Moving quickly are we?” he kept the teasing drawl to his voice as he wrapped one arm about Zenyatta, “Even my little toy here doesn't move as fast as you when it comes to relationships. The Kurosawa clan doesn't become allies after one little auction. What reasons do you have to offer for me to consider such a move?”

Atrius gave a smile and a light chuckle as he turned on his heels, moving to gaze out the window over the urban sprawl of Kyoto, just beyond the walls of the compound, “The Shimada are no more. They buckled and caved at last, like the relic it always was and allowed for the first time, a true criminal underworld to unfurl, one not governed by cheap concepts of honor. However, Japan's underworld is in a state of flux and although we are interested in taking control of that, it is best to have a proxy. You help us and we will deliver Japan to you on a silver plate with me serving as your adviser from Talon in what moves to make,”

The statement made Genji feel a strange ripple of anger at how crasly his clan was spoken about. True the Shimada themselves had not been beacons of decency, but even he knew that his family had not taken part in some activities, finding the practice too vile. There had been honor and the Underworld had been contained and kept of the streets unlike now where it spilled over. What Talon was proposing was a way to escalate the situation to destabilize his homeland even further. A fact that only fueled the disgust for this man before him.

“That is a rather bold claim. What makes you think you can deliver?” Genji asked burying his anger behind a calm facade, drawing closer to look out over the city as well, “Many have tried,” 

“You'll have weapons and our support, and of course,” Atrius's smile widened, “We can provide a little demonstration of power with a new device in development that can undo cities,”

Genji feigned disinterest, flicking a bored look to Atrius before turning away, slipping out of Zenyatta's embrace. The omnic dutifully moved to the side, hands clasped in front of him and head bowed as if he was nothing more than part of the scenery, just a loyal omnic plaything waiting for its master to pick it up again. The disguised Shimada flicked open his fan, waving it idly, “Again, you are promising many things but I am a man that must see to believe. I don't believe in empty promises. Did you think I made my money by listening to foolish stories and taking ridiculous chances?”

A slight frown graced Atrius's lips, “Do you think me a liar then?”

“Not a liar no, but given the business we are in Atrius, having a healthy skepticism is crucial to survival,” Genji retorted, giving a chuckle, “I may be young, but I've been trained by some of the best minds in the criminal underworld,”

There was truth in those words at least. His father and mother had been a power team as far as Genji had been told. There were few entities in the world of black markets and crime that had commanded as much respect as Lord and Lady Shimada. All of that training Genji had thought he had forgotten came back rather quickly, sliding into place easier than he was comfortable with. Yet listening to Atrius speak, Genji was almost glad his brother had cast him out of the clan before he could turn into a bitter man like the one before him, bent on building up his own power. 

Atrius's frown hadn't left but his posture eased some, “True I suppose, but I'm sure you have heard of what happened to the Verdant Hills area? The meltdown? That was only a small test of the device we could put at your disposal,” 

Genji tilted his head, carefully choosing his words. This was where he could get a slip, just a kernel of information for where Talon was about to strike next, “I've heard of it but how can I believe, again, that it was you? From all accounts, it seemed a small group of would-be vigilantes were to blame,”

The Talon commander remained tensed standing at the window, staring out with the frown still in place before turning around to eye the disguised Shimada, “You won't believe anything I say, will you?”

“I don't know you or the character you have to completely trust you just like that,” Genji gave an appeasing smile, spreading his arms, “And have I not given you a great deal of wealth in purchasing your prototype?”

That earned a small smile from Atrius, “You have,” he admitted before that smile became darker, “But not enough,”

One of the walls rose with a hiss, admitting a small group of Talon troops to enter, the Talon-made cyborg from before following in their footsteps, “We had no plans of selling it to be honest. This was only to discover who in the audience had the money we need to continue funding our own endeavors. We have no intention of making allies but you don't seem willing to become a vassal power either, which is the only part you fit into, Taro,”

Genji tensed, eyeing the odds feeling his hands itch for his sword, sheathed and hidden at his back. Zenyatta shuffled back, holding his hands up as the troops poured in, only one or two keeping guns on the omnic, no doubt seeing him as a minor threat at most. Atrius moved to stand at the center of the room, the true abomination at his side as he smiled at Genji, “No hard feelings Taro but either you agree to join us and become our vassal or you die right here. We have plans in the works and honestly I want to finish up here quickly so I can get to Santa Fe for the main event in the coming weeks, when we let the world know they have much to fear still,”

Genji gave a faint smirk, letting the pretentious expression of dignified rage drop, an action that had Atrius quirking an eyebrow in slight surprise, “I think you don't know who you are dealing with,”

Zenyatta lifted his hands, more like an nervous omnic would, but Genji could see the quirk of his fingers and the slight ripple of the orbs around his neck. The omnic glanced to Genji. A slight nod was given to Zenyatta as the disguised Overwatch cyborg took a step back. It was all the signal the monk needed. 

The orbs shot forwards, the guards on him letting out a cry of surprise as they were brought low, one having his gun halfway up before one of the orbs cracked into the weapon, sending it flying. Zenyatta himself was already bursting into a dizzying display of martial arts, his movements fluid as he took down the other guard before they could blink. The omnic monks were peaceful of course, but even they realized there was a need for some martial training in self defense from the growing hatred in the world. 

As soon as Zenyatta began to move, Genji had dropped back, the back of his robes ripping as his sword ejected out of its sheath. He drew it in one smooth motion, coming at the guards swiftly. Atrius's eyes widened in alarm before narrowing, the commander quickly back pedaling to his desk to pull out his own weapon stored there. He gestured wildly towards Zenyatta and Genji, snarling viciously towards the Talon-made cyborg, “Just don't stand there, kill them!”

The Talon-made cyborg jolted before darting towards Zenyatta, bringing the gun it had been given now up, taking aim at the omnic monk. Zenyatta pivoted quickly, ducking down low and coming up in a powerful kick, managing to dislodge the gun. The cyborg didn't lose momentum though, all but tackling the monk to the ground as they went down in a twisted mess of limbs. 

Genji let out a snarl pushing back the last two guards on him, only to have to duck down as Atrius started to lay fire down around him. He was forced to duck behind one of the overturned bookshelves, crawling along to avoid the bullets as they tore through the wood, cursing his luck. As Atrius paused to reload, Genji rose to his feet, taking in the scene quickly. 

Zenyatta was at the other side of the room now and was struggling as the monstrous, dead-eyed half-machine over him got its grips around his neck, squeezing hard until metal was starting to crush under its fingers. Zenyatta scrambled, his concentration broken enough the orbs had dropped to the ground, spinning wildly about. One hand vainly groped about the floor, metallic fingers trying to find something to use. The desperate search led to the handle of one of the dropped guns.

In slow motion, born out of desperation as the neck struts were crushed in further, Zenyatta managed to use his finger tips to pull the gun close enough to grab onto the handle more firmly, twisting the gun around to press against his attacker's chest, and pulled the trigger. The cyborg lurched back from the force of the shot at point blank range, letting go as both hands rose to its chest, now peppered with a flurry of bullets. A noxious mix of blood and some synthetic fluid pouring out as it looked down, eyes wide in shock, the first emotion on its face. Zenyatta trembled, the gun dropping from his hand as he shuffled back, getting to his feet with both arms wrapped about himself, his entire face, and chest covered in the blood of the now dead Talon-made cyborg as it crumbled to the side, that shocked expression still on its face.

“Zenyatta!” Genji shouted, breaking cover to come towards the monk who stood there, staring at the body, shuddering. At the same time, Atrius was moving across the room towards the monk, a familiar device crackling in his hand and a sneer of rage etched onto his features.

“Oh dear,” Zenyatta murmured, the words cracked out, not the usual soothing tone Zenyatta had, but a measure of panic had build, “Oh dear, oh dear, this is wrong,” 

 

Genji was nearly to him, mouth opening in a silent scream of protest as Atrius came up behind the omnic, one arm wrapping about Zenyatta's already damaged neck as the other hand brought a device up, jamming hard into the exposed wiring of Zenyatta's injuries.

The omnic shuddered letting out a strangled scream of pain that turned into a high pitched sound only a machine could make, the lighted dots on the face flickering before going out, that horrific wail coming to a sudden end as the body of the monk slumped forward. Genji felt a surge of hatred rise in him that he had not felt in years. It shattered his tranquility even as he came to a full halt, staring down Atrius as he pulled the device back, flicking a switch on the handle to turn it into a short sword, “One step closer and you can put your friend back together from tiny bits of scrap,”

Genji bared his teeth, his amber eyes blazing with an inner fire of abhorrence, “Let him go,”

Atrius sneered, letting his eyes trail over Genji with contempt, “So there we have it. I should have guessed Overwatch was behind the Kurosawa family. Clever ploy but not a clever execution it seems but I suppose since you are the younger Shimada,” his eyes narrowed as he gave a smirk, “Should have expected this to be sloppy,”

“You have a hostage. If you did not, you would be defeated easily, just as your family were by my own years ago,” Genji's voice was so quiet, barely contained anger shaking every syllable of Japanese he spat out, “Only the weak cower like you do, Yamashita filth,”

Pride was a dangerous flaw to have and it was clear Genji's word had hit a sore spot, the man's eyes narrowing as he looked at the offline husk in his arms before dropping Zenyatta to the ground, hefting his sword up, “I'll finish what your brutish oaf of a brother started with you,” He sneered, “I'll at least make sure you stay in the ground where you belong!” 

Those words only fueled the hatred burning in Genji as he dashed forward, bringing his own sword in for a lethal blow only for Atrius to parry away the hit and launch his own attack. The two exchanged blow after blow, hit after hit. The Talon commander was skilled, clearly trained in the art of sword play but he fought against the disadvantages that came with long combat against a foe that would not tired. The human body had limits to the combat it could endure, but a cyborg's body could far surpass it physically. All it took was one slip up.

A wrong counter to a parry was all Genji needed. He stepped back, ducking low under the swing, dropping lower to sweep the feet of his opponent, sending Atrius crashing to the ground. The man cursed, trying to get to his feet only for the cyborg to kick away his weapon and press his sword to Atrius's neck, leaning in, “You have a moment to save your skin if you speak,”

“Leave it to a Shimada to treat every battle with honor,” Atrius gave a twisted smirk, turning his head some, “Can't anyone in your clan do a proper job of killing?”

Genji bared is teeth, every muscle in his bod tensing as he wanted nothing more than to behead the man. It wouldn't be right though to kill an unarmed opponent like this, not to mention if he gave in, he would be no better than a Talon agent himself, “You are wasting my time,” Genji spat, moving for a blow to knock out the commander. 

Atrius lashed out, turning his body, the right hand coming apart to reveal the barrel of a gun as he grinned. Genji threw himself back as the hidden weapon was fired, lurching back, eyes wide. 

Alarms were blaring in his head as his systems reported a loss of connection to an extremity. Even as Genji watched his right arm and sword go flying from the force of the shot, he still swore he could feel it was still connected. There was only a brief spurt of his glowing synthetic blood before his systems tightened the piping,shutting down output to his right side to avoid blood loss.

Genji raised his good hand to his side, as if silently protesting the limb was still there and not lying halfway across the floor. Atrius rose to his feet, smirking, “And that, Shimada, is the only thing being honorable gets you,” he lowered the hidden gun at the Overwatch agent, “A quick death. I'll make sure to keep your husk as my favorite trophy,”

There was no response from the cyborg, his eyes narrowing. He had lost one arm but he still had one left. One that was quickly armed with a flick of his wrist with a trio of shurikens he sent flying at a near point blank range into Atrius's face. Prideful speeches had their own flaw against an opponent who knew how to fight dirty if need be. 

Atrius howled, stepping back, clutching his face as blood poured from it, one of the dangerous stars having lodge into an eye. Genji didn't stay to gloat or share anymore words. Crippled as he was now, staying would be suicide, especially with Zenyatta needing medical attention. 

If he wasn't already dead.

With a burst of speed, Genji moved to where Zenyatta lay, scooping up his friend over his shoulder before grasping his sword, doing his best to try and hold both before moving to the window. Behind him he heard the door slam open and Atrius screaming for their death. Genji didn't look back, only leaping out the window, shattered glass spilling out around them as he easily landed on the sloping roof of the mansion, starting to run across the gable and towards the walls of the compound. 

“This is Genji to team, come in! What's your status?” Genji hollered into the com device, praying for an answer in the static. 

“In a bit of a situation,” Tracer's voice came in, the echoes of gunfire in the back, “We figured things went south though as they tried to round us up. We just cleared the compound though! Where are you and Zen?”

“Zenyattas been....been really hurt. We need to get him out of here,” Genji responded jumping quickly to the side as gunfire peppered where he had been standing a moment ago, “We need to rendezvous!”

“I can't get a hold of Hanzo or Reaper. They aren't responding,” Morrison's voice cut in, a low growl, “And Talon could be on our com channel but we will have to risk that. we will meet up at-”

Genji didn't catch the rest of his words. Gunfire was heavy around him and he was unable to turn or deflect any of it with needing to hold onto Zenyatta, ducking and weaving as best he could, relying on his inhuman speed. Still his luck didn't hold out as one of the better shots in the pursuing agents finally hit true. With a sickening crack, a bullet cut through the back of Genji's right knee, causing him to buckle forward, already off balance with holding onto his sword and Zenyatta with the only hand he had left. A second bullet crashing soon after into the left leg. 

The forward momentum tipped Genji head over heels off the roof, pulling himself into a roll while trying to cradle Zenyatta's form close to keep his friend safe from any further damage. He managed to get his screaming legs under him as he half slide down a roof, error alarms being sent to and sparks flashing from the exposed wiring and broken mesh as he tried to keep going even as the right leg gave way, held together only by a few heaving struts, sending him crashing down the side of a sloped roof and into the courtyard of an old manor. 

Stone splintered under him as he bowled over a statue, sending it crashing under his weight as he hit the ground, panting, his shoulders popped under the ruined remains of his clothes, hissing steam as sparks continued to jolt from both legs. He sat up carefully, checking Zenyatta, his face twisted in an expression of pain. There was still no response from the monk, no flickering of lights or twitch of fingers to indicate the omnic was still functional. However, at least he was unharmed. Genji had taken the brunt of the fall damage, feeling the aches and pains already starting to form along his back. 

“Genji! Come in Genji! Oh god, Genji please be safe!” Tracer's voice jerked him back to the moment, turning his head to see Talon agents already staring to close in. Genji cursed in Japanese, moving to try and drag himself and Zenyatta across the stone of the courtyard floor to some semblance of cover before the agents of Talon dropped into the courtyard.

“I need help if you are close. I'm down,” Genji managed hoarsely into the com unit, “Lucky shot in the knees,”

“Homing in on your position now,” McCree answered, “You are close by to where we are, just the place is swarming with Talon,”

Genji watched agents drop into the courtyard, in no hurry now. They were taking their time and being cautious, perhaps savoring the kill as the followed the trail of blood Genji broken legs were leaving as he dragged himself along. He managed to get behind a low garden wall, moving to prop Zenyatta up against it,

”I've noticed,” Genji finally responded, panting some, “Listen, Zenyatta is near one of the garden walls here in this courtyard offline but ...but still alive,” he took a deep breath, looking over his shoulder, grimacing as he forced his legs back under him, “Get him out of here. They probably won't do anything and think him dead. I don't think I'll be around to help at this point,”

“Stop talking like that Genji! We'll get to you. Just hold on!” Tracer's voice sounded desperate and Genji couldn't help the sad smile as he shut off his com, his one arm gripping the handle of his sword.

He couldn't even rise to his feet, half crouched on the ground, wounded, beaten, and broken, but he wasn't about to just roll over and let Talon win nor let Zenyatta die.

“Don't lose, no matter what,” Genji murmured, recalling Reaper's final words to them. 

His grip on his sword tightened as his eyes narrowed as the first agent raised his gun, ready to open fire on the cyborg. 

The agent suddenly jolted, lurching back as he raised a hand to this throat, an arrow plunged into the unarmored weak point, before the agents before Genji fell back in disarray as a rain of arrows, split and ricocheting about the courtyard in a dizzying, deadly display. Genji lowered his weapon, shocked at the chaotic scene before him. One of the agents stumbled to their feet, only to let out a shout as they were slammed down by Hanzo, the archer darting in, finishing of the last few targets more directly and quickly.

Hanzo surveyed the battlefield quickly, making sure all targets were down for now, before turning to Genji. A flick of pain was there as well as guilt as he moved over to his brother's side, crouching down to wrap an arm about him, “Can you walk?”

Genji stared at Hanzo mutely, shaking his head as he tried to find his voice, a confusing mass of emotions building up in his chest, “Why are you, aren't you suppose to be with Reaper?” He finally managed out.

A tired smile crossed Hanzo's face as he shook his head, “I did not go with him. He took the mission solo at my request,” he looked away some at the sparking, wounded legs still trickling some synthetic blood, “We need to get you out of here,”

“I am not leaving without Zenyatta,” Genji glanced to his fallen friend, “Where are the others?”

“Just outside. Talon has them pinned and I doubt that is the last of those still on your trail,” Hanzo frowned, looking between Genji and Zenyatta's form, “I cannot carry both of you out of here,”

 

Genji shook his head, reaching to grab onto Zenyatta's arm, “I can carry him. You carry me. We aren't leaving any of our own behind,”

Hanzo looked at his brother, a look of pain on his face. Genji couldn't bare to look, dropping his own gaze to the side. It had been the same look Hanzo had given on the night his brother had chosen to end his life as he stood over Genji. That desperate look begging his brother not to make him have to make a a choice, “Please brother. I am not leaving you for dead again,” 

Genji's grip only tightened, pulling the omnic monk against him, “I'd rather be left for dead and Zenyatta survive. He is more important than I,” he murmured. 

“You are more important to me,” Hanzo's shoulders tensed, his voice rising some, “You are my brother. Even if you are...even if you are no longer entirely human, even if nothing between us is the same and forever poisoned. I have lived witg the regret of what I've done to you and pushing you away time after time because of my own guilt. I will not repeat my mistakes,”

A quiet laugh escaped Genji, “Such a sudden change of heart from what you said before. Is it because of how I look now? Just like how you remembered?”

He looked up at his brother, unmasked, still wearing the disguise of his own face, although some of the make-up had smeared some to reveal the scars across his face and some of the metal of his jaw. The clothing was ripped to expose more of his cybernetic body and he knew he looked more twisted like this, caught firmly between man and machine. Hanzo stared at Genji as he stoodup again, his expression hard to see in the low light filtering in from the garden lights. The distant sound of gunfire was drawing closer and the sound of agents incoming, echoing in the halls. 

“You look like our father, more so than I could ever look,” Hanzo quietly answered, turning to draw an arrow to notch it to his bow, “You would have grown into someone as great as him if not for my jealousy. I have wronged you for so long. Every time we speak I have been nothing but cruel, unable to let go of the past. Just this once, just this once I want it to be like it once was, when were brothers that stood together and held onto that bond. This time, Genji, I won't be a coward and stand aside. This time, I will not leave you to be alone. I will not abandon you again,”

The agents crashed through the door, the first one met with an arrow slamming into their chest with deadly accuracy, managing to slip between the seams in the body armor. Even as one fell, more poured in, a whole squadron this time. Hanzo didn't relent, ducking and weaving from cover to cover, letting lose a stream of death, arrow after arrow. 

Genji ducked low behind the cover, griping his sword tight, still in shock from Hanzo's words. They had cut deep again, but not with pain, with a sudden tightness in his chest as for the first time years, in that single moment, Genji saw his brother again. With that feeling though, a new panic welled up in him as he watched his brother fight against desperate odds, powerful to aid him, crippled as he was from the earlier engagements. 

He could do nothing but watch. In their youth and into their teen years, Hanzo had always been there to save Genji when he got in trouble, physically with others or with words when the family spoke ill of him. Every fight Genji got into, Hanzo was diving into the fight himself, swinging at every boy or girl that wanted a fight in the schoolyard. Everytime their mother rose to belittle Genji, spitting venom in her words, it was always Hanzo yelling back, cradling Genji close as the younger tried to hide his tears.

The death of their parents had poisoned that bond between them and driven a wedge that seemed to have disolved that bond and Hanzo no longer protected him, abandoning Genji to wallow in his own bitterness and loathing that only was numbed, never banished, by the company he kept and the alcohol he drowned himself in every night. That bond felt like it had vanished but now, now against the impossible odds, it rose again, Hanzo standing without fear, spitting in the face of the enemy as he used every trick and strategy he knew to fight for not only his survival, but that if his brother.

Some things could not be undone by even the greatest of mistakes or tragedies. 

The archer slid back behind some cover, his hand going to his quiver, pulling out the last arrow, staring at it before gritting his teeth and reaching up to tear off the sleeve of his uniform to expose his tattoo. He rolled out from behind his cover, rising to his feet quickly, notching the arrow as blue energy started to swirl off the markings, “Ryuu ga waga teki -”

The words caught suddenly in Hanzo's throat as he staggered back, a gunshot echoing in the dark. Genji felt the entire world stop as his brother stood there, looking down at his chest where blood was starting to seep across the cloth in a bloody swatch. 

 

“Niisan!” The words ripped from Genji's throat in horror as his brother lifted his gaze to stare at Genji. A faint smile played over the elder's feature and a look of guilt was in his face as he staggered, starting to fall backwards.

The archer drew his hands up, the arrow still notched, every breath he took wheezing as he grimaced, “Ryuu... Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!” the arrow flew from the bow, the blue light of the twin dragons erupting with a roar as Hanzo fell backwards, hitting the ground hard, one hand rising to grip at his chest, his breathing heaving.

The twin blue dragons spiraled out of control rather quickly without their master's guidance, separating out, scattering the agents about as cries of alarm filled the air but no cry was louder than Genji's own, a loud, terrified sound of denial as he dragged himself over to where his brother was, desperately trying to do something. 

Panic was driving Genji as he pulled his brother's head into his lap, doing the best he could with one hand to pull away the clothing from his bother's chest. Hanzo was panting hard, staring at Genji with a glassy eyed look of a man dying, “Genji, you need to....”

“Don't talk niisan,” Genji hissed back, staring at the wounds to his brother's chest, his face torn up, shaking as he tried to apply pressure to the wounds as best he could with one hand although Hanzo's chest was already awash in blood, “Don't die on me, not now, please,”

Hanzo's look was so pained, staring at his brother with a level of sorrow that was hard to express, wheezing and trembling as shock started to creep in now. There was gunfire again but Genji could care less, eyes closed, hunching over his brother, his body wracked with dry heaves of sobs as he continued to beg his brother in frantic Japanese not to die.

Zenyatta was hurt, possibly dead and now his own brother...

“Genji!” Tracer's voice punctuated the air as she came dashing in, Morrison and McCree at her heels although she stumbled to a halt, eyes wide, covering her mouth, “Oh god, Hanzo!”

Morrison moved pass quickly dropping to Hanzo's side, “McCree! Tracer! Cover me!” he barked out.

Genji looked at Morrison, unable to hide the terror on his own face, the helplessness etched into every feature, “Morrison-”

“Hold on,” the soldier growled, dropping a medical kit he had been carrying, wrenching it open and tugging out the occlusive dressings. He brushed Genji's hands aside, quickly applying the bandages to the wound, “Keep him conscious. Blood loss is going to be what we are fighting against to keep him alive long enough to get to medical help,” 

Morrison's expression was one of concentration, dead set on the task before him in keeping Hanzo alive, his basic understanding of medical practices coming into play. Genji just watching him, teeth gritted in pain, trembling, “Don't die, niisan, don't die,” the cyborg wasn't even aware the words were spoken in his own native tongue, groping for Hanzo's hand, holding it to his chest, “I will never forgive you if you do,”

Hanzo wasn't responding, eyes closed tight, grimacing in pain as Morrison looked over his shoulder at McCree and Tracer as they provided the cover, “We need to retreat! Where's Reaper?”

“I don't know,” Genji mumbled, eyes still locked on Hanzo, “He wasn't here. Zenyatta is hurt bad as well. I can't stand,” his words became more choked with emotion. 

Morrison growled, rising to his feet, touching his com unit, “Reyes, for once in your damn life answer your comm unit!” 

His answer came in a blare of a horn, the wooden frame of the building come apart as a vehicle rammed into the gate, swerving and sending the last few agents falling to a heap at the ground. Those Overwatch agents still capable of standing tensed, McCree already had his gun trained as the driver sidedoor opened. Reaper exited the vehicle rolling his shoulders. He was dressed in his usual clothes, the mask back in place as he stared at Morrison, “You shout too damn much, Morrison,”

“Oh thank god, your alive!” Tracer's relief was clear, “We have three agents down already and we need to get to a hospital,”

Reaper looked over the group, visibly tensing at seeing the state Genji was in and his head tilting, taking in Hanzo's state, “Talon won't let you get to a hospital, not in Kyoto. They'll blow up the whole hospital with all you in it,”

“We got to get to the next city over then. Osaka. If we can even make it that long,” McCree murmured, looking to Reaper and then to the group, “Morrison, I reckon you take the kids and get going. Reaper and I can cover your tracks and keep em distracted for you to to find a hospital,”

“No!” Genji found his voice, cracking as a wild sort of terror filled his eyes, “What if you-”

Reaper stepped over to Genji,moving to hoist him up, “I'll be fine. Like bullets can stop me,” he drawled, looking to McCree, “And McCree has the luck of the devil,”

McCree gave a faint smile at that before moving to pick up Zenyatta's body as Morrison carefully scooped up Hanzo bridal style to get him to the car, “Yeah well, maybe you are just a bad aim still old man,”

Genji gripped onto Reaper, with his one arm shaking his head in protest and finding no comfort in the humor Reaper had attempted. The mercenary only paused to pick up Genji's sword as he carried him to the car.

“I can't handle anyone else getting hurt tonight in all this,” Genji croaked out, “Zenyatta, my brother, I just can't... don't you get hurt too,”

“I won't,” Reaper murmured, “ But you need to let go now Genji if we are to make sure everyone survives,” 

The cyborg just stared at Reaper before shaking his head, the grip of his one good hand increasing, digging into the leather, “Don't make me let go Reaper, please. Come with us. Let Morrison and McCree handle this,” 

Tracer moved in next to Morrison, assisting him in laying Hanzo out straight on the backseat, helping to keep him stable. Carefully Zenyatta was moved into the passenger seat, buckled in as Tracer moved to recline the seat, “This is a mess, a terrible mess,” she managed out, her voice chocked and frustrated tears in her eyes, “Will they be able to help Zenyatta too?”

“Omnic care is standard at every major hospital in Japan last I heard,” McCree grunted, loading his gun, “You best be going before they regroup enough to see you take off,” 

Reaper lifted both hands to Genji's face, brushing aside some of the make-up, tilting his head, “I'll see you later,” he murmured, leaning down to bump his masked forehead to Genji's before turning to fog, slipping out of his grip, reforming quickly just out of reach and slamming the door. 

Genji just stared at him, before turning to Tracer, a look of total loss on his face. The young woman tried to offer a comforting smile but she was barely holding together, blood on her hands from helping to get Hanzo into the car, “It will be all right love,”

“No, nothing is all right now,” Genji retorted, a bitter laugh working its way out of his throat, “Nothing is right at all,”

He was laughing more, a broken half sobbing sound as his hand clenched into a fist, staring down at the floor between his feet as Morrison jumped into the driver's seat, putting the car into drive, “We will rendezvous as soon as we can. Keep your com open for development on the pick-up from our backup,” He shouted out to Reaper and McCree.

The cowboy gave a nod, “Fine by me. Once the back-up is there to get you from the hospital and after Hanzo is stabilized, Reaper and I will make our way to the pick-up point,”

Morrison gave a nod before leaning back in, slamming the gas down, the wheels of the vehicle spinning as it lurched forward out o the debris back out the hole, and onto the road, , leaving the two Blackwatch agents behind. 

Genji just fell silent, staring, barely feeling Tracer wrapping her arms about him in a hug, murmuring how things were going to be okay. Mutely he wrapped his one arm around her, looking over her shoulder where Hanzo lay, the grimace still on his face, his chest rising and falling with wheezing gasps, blood still covering his body. It made the younger Shimada flinch looking away.

This was not how things were suppose to turn out. 

Morrison was blazing down the roadways, swerving in and out of traffic, disregarding the traffic laws, careening out onto the main highway, Genji slumped down some, letting go of his hug with Tracer, reaching for Hanzo's hand and pulling it into his lap. He flicked his gaze over to where Zenyatta lay, still unresponsive. His dearest friend and his only brother, both of them in critical condition and he was in danger of losing both of them.

And his lover was covering his tracks, putting himself at risk and could very well end up dead too. 

Genji hunched his shoulders, letting out a choked sob as Tracer rubbed his back, trying to be comforting to her greiving friend. The handin Genji's own, flexed some, weakly gripping the cyborgs own, causing Genji to look up at the face of his brother.

“Mother would....have much to say about this,” Hanzo managed out, his words labored, eyes opening to look at Genji, forcing a weak smile.

A small laugh forced its way out as Genj looked down at his brother, “Right now, I could care less what she would think,” Genji squeezed his brother's hand, feeling the archer give a weak squeeze in return, “Don't die on me. I have forgiven you for many things, but this I will not,”

“Ah, the little sparrow making demands I see,” Hanzo murmured, closing his eyes.

“A little sparrow is the most demanding and annoying creature alive when he wants something,” Genji retorted, “You promised you would not leave me alone,”

Hanzo gave a slight nod, “I...did promise...that didn't I?”

Tracer bit her lip, looking between the two, unable to understand the two as they spoke in Japanese, quietly trying to hold her own tears back as she focused on the road ahead of them. Hanzo let out a raspy sigh, “I seem....to always break my promises to you, otouto,” 

“Don't let this be one you break,” Genji whispered quietly, “I don't want it to end like this. How will I be able to annoy you when you are old in a wheelchair if it ends like this?”

Hanzo gave Genji a look, a withering one but the amusement still flickered in his eyes,” Is that my Otouto's plan? To see me to a retirement home?”

“Oniisan, you've known that since we were children. Don't tell me you forgot I promised I would take care of you when we are both old men,” Genji gave a small smile, his grip on his brother's hand tightening, “So don't leave me alone again. Not this time. Not like this,”

The faint smile on Hanzo's face remained as he closed his eyes but he didn't speak, what strength he had starting to give way. Genji felt himself trembling, “Oniisan? Hanzo? Please. You are hurting me,” He whispered, “You are killing me again Oniisan,”

“I'm sorry,” Hanzo murmured, “I'm sorry Otouto, for everything,”

Genji held onto that hand, hunching closer, “I'm sorry too for getting into trouble again. Always causing you stress,”

“I'd prefer you causing me stress,” Hanzo opened his eyes, turning his head some, “Like you used to do when we were young. Before things changed. Is it...selfish to want to go back to that?”

A smile touched Genji's face as he shook his head, “We don't have to go back to that. That time, those feelings never left oniisan. Just...were buried,” the smile faded as his gaze dropped to the blood and covered wounds on his brother's body, “...do you remember the summer home?”

Hanzo frowned some in thought, eyes sliding closed again, “...I do. It has been a long time since I've gone back,”

“After this is all over, I think we should go back. Fix it up. Take a vacation. I think the others in Overwatch would appreciate that old place,” Genji murmured, giving a small smile.

“I would like that,” Hanzo gave a slight smile, his voice growing softer, “To see it again. The sun on the mountains... always was peaceful there. We always felt the most like family there...”

“We'll see it again,” Genji promised, “If you keep your promises this once,”

“Maybe...” the word came out, a hush of air, barely formed words, the grip on Genji's hand growing weaker. 

Genji felt the panic stab through him, gripping tighter as the shallow breaths his brother gave began to grow fainter, “No, no, no. Hanzo please!” wildly he turned towards where Morrison was, eyes wide, “We need a hospital now! This is as far as we can go!” 

Morrison's grip on the wheel tightened as he let out a low growl, hunching over it, “Tracer, get us a hospital!”

Tracer jumped before nodding, twisting around to tap into the GPS, “Ah.... there is one here called-”

“It works fine!” Morrison swerved hard, making for the exit,cutting off a few cars that let out loud honks. 

Hanzo winced, the rough turn having shifted his body some, pain flitting over his features but he didn't respond, his breathing more hoarse. 

All Genji could do was sit there, feeling the crushing pressure of what he could lose today pressing on his shoulders. The pain cut through him, ripped him apart from the inside out. They were not too far from where the Talon auction had been held but at this point, Genji could care less. All that mattered now was saving the lives in danger of being lost because of Talon, because of their hate. In his mind, Genji could hear Atrius laughing and the cruel words directed at how weak his clan was, of what honor got him in the end. 

For the first time in a long time, cutting through his grief, was a sharp edge of pure hatred that Genji had forgotten he was capable of. 

The car came to a halt in front of a small hospital screeching to a halt. The car was barely put into park before Morrison was jumping out, racing along the back to pull Hanzo out. The staff, who had looked annoyed at first for someone parking in the ambulance spot, looked alarm as Morrison carefully removed Hanzo from the backseat, the elder Shimada, barely responding, breathing heaving and covered still in blood. There was no need for words of what was going on, the hospital staff already rushing forward with a gunnery, placing Hanzo onto it and starting to rush him into the hospital. Genji struggled to pull himself across the seat, his synthetic blood still trickling out over the seat, “Morrison, what about-”

“I've got it,” Morrison murmured as he moved back to the car, picking up Zenyatta's frame although by this time the staff were swarming the car as Tracer got out. They were staring at Genji, wide eyed, no doubt noticing fairly quickly he was part machine. It was easy enough to hear them debating what to do, “Morrison, Mercy is-”

“En route with the others,” Morrison answered, putting an arm around Genji as the staff placed Zenyatta on another gurney to wheel into the hospital, “Everything is in fate's hands now,”

“I don't need medical,” Genji winced as he was lowered into a wheelchair, “You would need my schematics to repair my lost arm,” 

“Yeah well, you still need your legs fixed and I got to get in contact with McCree and Reaper. See if they need back up and also check on where our back up even is,” Morrison murmured, “We are probably still too close,”

The soldier looked about suspiciously even as he pushed Genji into the hospital, “Last thing we need is media or something being tipped off,”

“Money tends to be able to buy silence,” Genji murmured, pulling the credit chip Reaper had given him and passing it to the soldier, “Should cover everything,”

The cyborg slumped back, closing his eyes. He just wanted a moment of peace. He could hear the doctors around him now, pulling him to another room to get patched up best they could manage. No doubt Mercy later would be in to do it properly. Somewhere Zenyatta was getting attended to and Genji only hoped the monk would come online again and was not dead himself. 

Not dead like his brother may very well be. 

That thought had Genji hunching forward again,trembling, his systems trying to cope with the various wounds he had gained. He would be fine. A lost limb could easily be replaced. His blood didn't rely on a specific blood type and wasn't as crucial to life as it had been. The stark white walls meshing into the speckled ceiling as he was made to lay back on a table as his pain receptors were nulled just made him feel like that night was happening all over again, the night he was suppose to have died. 

He closed his eyes. He was so tired. He just wanted a quick rest to recharge his circuits, bringing his good hand up to cover his face.

It felt like he had only closed his eyes for a moment. His system shut down into recharge before he had even comprehended what had happened. 

 

By the time Genji came online again he was quick to realize he was staring at a new ceiling. He jolted sitting up, jerking as he was nearly yanked back down by wiring attached to the stump where his arm used to be, the skeleton of a new arm in place, “Easy lad! Trying to work here!”

The rough voice of Torbjörn had Genji relaxing just a bit, turning his head to regard the Swede who had been hard at work, applying plating to the fingers of the replacement arm, “Oh.....I....” Genji took a deep breath, “Where are we...?”

“Back at base. You passed out in the hospital. Hard shut down of your systems Mercy says. The stress got to much for your systems to handle I suppose. Something about blood loss so systems shut down to preserve flow and energy,” Torbjörn murmured pausing to hold up a piece examining it closely before going back to work on the arm, “Immediate evac of all agents though,”

Genji let himself lay down, unable to feel anything in the arm Torbjörn was working on, but from the looks of it, the limb was far from completed, “And my brother? And Zenyatta? Are they....are they well?”

“Zenyatta is back online. Omnic failsafe shut down saved his life really. His CPU detached itself physically from the rest of his body, keeping him in a seemingly dead state and avoid the viral damage of that device. Gave me and Winston though a good look at what this Harpy thingamajigger code is looking like and how to find a counter,” Torbjorn gave a slight smile, “But he's more than a little shaken but Winston is keeping him company,”

Genji gave a small nod, feeling a sense of unease grow in his chest, “And Hanzo, my brother?” 

Torbjörn flicked his gaze across the room to another bed, “Alive but out right now. Mercy says he needs plenty of rest and monitoring. Best not to look at him now. Doesn't look pretty with the mask and tubes stuck in him. You've been through enough emotional distress by all accounts I say,”

“I suppose so,” Genji murmured, “But...I think I would like to see him, just to confirm I haven't lost him,”

“Well that is your choice, but don't move around too much. Have the arm hooked up somewhat for now to make sure the length is correct,” Torbjörn paused, stroking his beard, his gaze not once leaving his word as he reached to grab another tool. 

“Will I get feeling back in this arm?” Genji asked quietly although his gaze was still fixed on the bed across from his, covered up by a dividing curtain.

“Last thing to turn back on,” Torbjörn assured, using a small tool to twitch a few of the fingers and testing the connection, “Your legs were easier to fix at least. How are they feeling by the way?”

Genji lifted his head some, rolling the foot and pulling up the knees, “ A little stiff but nothing else to report,” he murmured.

“Nothing a little stretching can't fix once you are up and about,” Torbjörn sat back, eyeing the arm, “But this is going to take me a long while to fix,” 

The engineer rubbed a hand through his beard before reaching up to press a few switches, the arm detaching with a hiss, “I'll work on it here for a while, mostly just making sure it works. We can re-attach it after I finish it. Could be a few days though. The machinery is very complex,”

“Thank you and sorry about the extra work,” Genji murmured, sitting up, rubbing the stub.

Torbjörn waved a hand, “Ack its nothing. I have the schematics. Not like you could have grabbed your arm in the fire fight. Besides, you kept your sword which was the more expensive and harder to replace item,”

Genji gave a mute nod,sitting up. He stared over at the bed before heaving a sigh, “I really should see Zenyatta. He was...very shaken,”

The cyborg eased himself onto his feet, taking a few tentative steps to make sure everything was fine. He cast a look over to where Hanzo's bed was before taking a deep breath and moving over, pulling back the curtain some. There was no blood now, his brother stripped to his waist, wearing some sort of hospital pants. His entire chest was wrapped in bandages now, an IV drip in his arm and a breathing mask over his face, tubes extending from the nose to hook to the mask and then to the device helping him in breathing although at least now, his breaths sounded normal and not the labored wheezes he had before. 

It was difficult sight, but at least he was alive. Genji pulled back, closing the curtain, “Where any of his vital organs hit?”

“One bullet was lodged in a lung, keeping it plugged,” Torbjörn's browed furrowed some, “But other than that, the other two shots were lodged lower. Mercy is more concerned with infections and the like, He's not going anywhere for three weeks of monitoring and rehabilitation,”

Genji gave a nod, turning away with a sigh,”Thank you Torbjörn,”

“Eh, don't thank me until I have this arm built,” the man offered a small smile and nod to Genji, a gesture which was returned before the cyborg exited the room.

The other rooms in the medical were empty with no signs of Zenyatta there, the monk probably alrady cleared again for service. Genji paused as he came into the central medical labs, noticing Mercy bent over her microscope, giving a light knock to the door, “Angela?”

The medical officer looked up quickly, giving a smile, “Genji! It is good to see you on your feet again! Are you doing well? Feeling dizzy or any sort of loss of memories or the like?”

“I wish I was having memory loss of everything that happened,” Genji responded, shaking his head, “I wanted to ask where Zenyatta is?”

“In the rec room with Winston I believe. He seemed physically fine after we realigned everything, but mentally,” she trailed off, shaking her head, “I feel there was some mental trauma that occurred,”

“You could say that,” Genji sighed, “Is Reaper around?” 

“Vaguely,”Mercy glanced to the door of her lab, “He won't come close to this place but McCree comes by a lot. Think he is being asked to inquire about you on Reaper's behalf. He's been rather distant from everyone,”

Genji manged a small a laugh although there was little humor in his voice, “That's new for him?”

“I suppose not but,” Mercy let out a sigh, shaking her head, “I don't know. You'll probably find him once you step out fairly quickly though but shouldn't you be with Torbjörn getting your arm repaired?”

“He said it might take a long while,” Genji raised a hand to touch where his right arm was suppose to be, “Wanted me to get my legs stretched out and make sure everything is running and touch base with everyone rather than lay there for days,”

Mercy gave a nod, “I'll take his expertise then. Medically you are fine. Your internal biological systems were undamaged and your blood was brought back to nominal levels.,” She paused before her gaze shifted to her microscope, “Any luck in convincing Reaper-”

“Its a no,” Genji responded quietly, “That is all I want to say about the subject. If my brother awakes, could....you call me? I would like to keep him company,” 

Another nod was given by the medical officer,”Will do,”

With a final nod to Mercy, Genji exited the room, letting out a sigh, heading down the hallway in search of Reaper. More than ever, he needed his lover there, to confirm he was still whole. He knew he should see Zenyatta but how could he help his friend when he himself felt like he was going to break. At this point he wanted to flop into the sheets of his bed and forget the world and Overwatch. He was sure Zenyatta would understand that he needed first to heal before he could help the monk to heal.

Opening the door to his room a slight smile curled Genji'slip at seeing Reaper already there,stripped to his waist, steam from the small bathroom wafting in the air showinghe had just showered. The mask sat to the side and Reaper currently was making some strange attempt to brush his menagerie of fangs carefully with a gnarled toothbrush. 

The mercenary turned towards the door, those red eyes winking in and out of existence as they roved about Reaper's twisting face, “You look like shit,” Reaper finally stated flatly.

“Thank you. I needed to be told that,” Genji drawled, moving past to flop onto his bed covering his face with his hand, letting out a groan. 

The shifting mouth of the mercenary drew up into what might have been a frown as he moved to the small bathroom, “Still look better than in all that make-up,”

That earned a small smile from Genji, a touch more hesitant though as he peared through his fingers at Reaper. He couldn't agree more with Reaper in that regards. He rolls onto his stomach, eyes trailing over the nightstand, “Where's your phone love? I need to see some cat pictures,” 

“On the dresser,” Reaper responded from the bathroom. 

Genji sighed some, sitting up and moving to ruffle about the dresser, tossing off a pair of Reaper's boxers. Sometimes Reaper really was a slob with where he threw things sometimes. It seemed almost ironic that of the two, Genji was the neat one. With a sigh he grabbed a hold of Reaper's phone, flopping back on the bed, flicking through it with one hand. There was an unread text message from Widowmaker, asking him if he was hidin under a rock. 

The cyborg tilted his head some, frowning, and debated texting Widowmaker back before giving a shrug, “He's awake. This is his boyfriend,” Genji texted quickly. 

He needed something to amuse himself, something to take his mind of things. Maybe he was just wanted to feel normal, messing with Reaper's only actual phone contact other than himself. 

“Hello Reaper's boyfriend. Having a good night?” Was the response from Widowmaker.

She seemed rather casual about all this and Genji couldn't help giving a faint smile, “Not really so I'm looking at the boyfriend's cat pictures. Saw your message and decided to message back his only friend,”

It was a longer pause before the message bleeped back, “Reaper makes other friends. They are mostly feline though,”

“The cats aren't his friends,” Genji texted back chuckling, “They are his minions. He is the Cat god. A Grim Reapurr you might say,”

Genji didn't get to see how she would respond as Reaper snatch d the phone from him, looking down at the cyborg after glancing at the screen, “What are you doing?”

“Being your secretary. Answering your text messages,” Genji responded innocently, tilting his head, “Didn't want to interrupt your vigorous tooth brushing. Did you floss?”

Reaper bared those sharp teeth, one eye watching the screen as the other eye focused on Genji, “Does it look like I can floss?”

Genji gave a shrug, raising his one hand up and making a grabbing motion, “I'm sad. I'm emotionally destroyed inside. I nearly lost my brother and best friend in one night, I have someone in this world I hate and want dead, and I need a hug,”

The red eyes rolled some as he tossed the phone onto the nightstand before dropping down rather heavily on top of Genji, earning a muffled grunt from the man trapped under him, “This is not a hug Reaper,”

“You don't get hugs for telling Widowmaker I'm a Reapurr,” the mercenary growled.

Genji squirmed, managing to get his one arm out from under the weight of the larger man, wrapping it about his shoulders, “I pun you because I love you,”

That hellish mouth shifted some, the black tongue sliding out some, “You are full of it,” 

Reaper slide a hand over Genji's shoulder, pausing at the stub, rubbing over where the arm should be, “Didn't they repair this?”

“Torbjörn is working on a new one,” Genji closed his eyes with a sigh, “And who knows how much time we have left before Talon sets up that damn device in Santa Fe and pulls the trigger? None of us are ready for a fight,”

The mercenary tilted his head some, “Reinhardt is,”

“Oh yes. I'm sure Reinhardt will be more than happy to take on the whole of Talon all on his own,” Genji shook his head, “We need everyone for this to work,” his grip tightened on Reaper, “And we need a better plan,”

The mercenary was quiet, still trailing a hand over where the missing limb was, those red eyes narrowing some as he sat back, “Why bother? Just to save others?”

“That and well,” Genji gave a slight, humorless smile, “I'm hoping that bastard Atrius shows up again so I can take out his other eye and put him in a grave for what he did to Zenyatta,”

“Atrius,” Reaper murmured, tilting his head, “He won't be there. Most of Talon will be regrouping after that stunt in Kyoto,” he paused before leaning closer, that tongue flicking out almost touching Genji's cheek, “McCree and I blew their stockpile of arms up. The usual distraction,”

Genji blinked, staring incredulously at Reaper before shaking his head, leaning up to press his mouth against that strange nightmare mouth, not minding the way the skin moved beneath his lips or the feel of those dangerous teeth. Reaper jolted some before slowly returning the kiss with a low growl. After a moment, Genji pulled away, a slight smile on his face, “You two do some excellent work together,”

Reaper just grunted, sitting back more, looking down over the cyborg, “Your brother is alive?”

“Yeah. Thankfully but no doubt he will carry scars of this,” Genji murmured, “Is it wrong that I feel guilty for what happened?”

“No but if you do feel guilty, you should go see him,”Reaper turned his head towards the door, “Have someone to wake up to. Waking up alone can be...strange,”

The cyborg tilted his head some before reaching up, “Come with me then,”

Reaper froze at the suggestion, his entire face vanishing in a writhing mass of shadows as he shrank back some,”Genji....”

“Mercy won't come near you. No one is going to touch you. There are no booby traps,” Genji reached up into the black mass, unafraid to touch it even as his fingers were lot in the black depths, “Trust me. It will be just the two of us, my brother and Torbjörn working on my arm,”

There was a long moment of silent as Reaper's eyes winked back open, starting hard at Genji before glancing around the room, rolling around wildly and unnaturally as if in thought before the mercenary heaved a heavy sigh, pulling away from Genji, “....fine,”

Genji sat up as he watched Reaper move across the room, ghosting into his clothes again and picking up the mask to secure it over his face, shoulders hunched, “Thank you Reaper. It means a lot,”

The only responses was something mumbled out in Spanish that Genji was sure was part offensive, part affectionate but it only made his smile grow wider as he rose to his feet, slipping his one hand into Reaper's, gently pulling the unwilling mercenary along. 

Mercy wasn't in her office as they passed by, thankfully, and the lights were off indicating she had probably left for the evening to sleep or the like. She was a workaholic, but she never sacrificed her health. She was more than aware that she was most effective if she was in good health and the best thing for a body was a full night of rest. That or Reinhardt had pulled her off again, the old German warhorse seemed to have made it a personal goal to get Mercy out of her office more. Torbjörn wasn't in the room either, only a note saying he would finish the job in the morning but his old eyes needed some rest. 

Reaper seemed to relax moving over to pick up the schematics to Genji's model, tilting his head as he read over it, flicking through the datapad. The cyborg didn't pay it any mind, moving to pull the curtains away from around Hanzo's bed and pull up a chair to sit beside it, “So did you complete your objective at least?”

“I debrief my findings already with the others,” Reaper murmured, “But yes. Its done,”

Genji gave a slight nod, looking over the sleeping form of his brother, “I feel bad though. Zenyatta probably needs me just as much as-”

“Zenyatta insisted that you and your brother be left to each other,” Reaper interrupted, “He asked for Winston's company as you recovered. The two have some friendship or something starting,” 

The mercenary didn't look up from he datapad, tilting his head the other way as he zoomed in on the schematics for the arm. Genji gave a small sigh, “Still, I feel wrong not being there. He was shaken up at killing that cyborg,”

“He asked me about that,” Reaper glanced up from his tablet, “About taking a life,”

Genji was silent, waiting for Reaper to say more but the mercenary went silent, his gaze dropping back down to the data tablet holding Genji's schematics, flipping through them again, shoulders hunching in thought. The cyborg almost asked what Reaper had told Zenyatta but decided against it, turning his attention back to his brother. 

Hanzo looked better, at least had more color to his face. Peaceful and relaxed. No longer the pained, guilt-ridden expression he had earlier or the stony look of indifference. Asleep like this, he looked more like his brother than ever before. Idly Genji remembered how Hanzo would drag him out of bed, his elder brother wrapping him up in his own sheets every morning for training, thrusting him into the cold morning air with flourish. Every morning he would curse Hanzo, trying to cling to the warmth of his blankets even as he was unrolled like an eggroll onto the training grounds in naught but his boxers, whining. Hanzo never failed to get Genji out of bed, willing or unwilling. Dressed or still in his sleepware. Even in winter when there was snow on the ground, Genji would find himself in the snow in his pajamas, glaring at his brother as the dawn just barely touched air with sunlight. 

He missed those days still. All those past annoyances now that he wished could still exist. 

Genji was jolted out of his thoughts from a clang behind him, turning to watch Reaper pick up the half finished arm, dissolving it into the fog along with the other supplies, tilting his head in concentration, “Reaper! What are you doing? Torbjörn is going to-”

His voice trailed off though as the mist about Reaper's hand pulled back revealing the full finished arm in his grip. The mercenary tilted his head in almost a smug way as he held it up, “You want your arm back on?”

“But how did you do that?” Genji asked, eyes wide as Reaper approached him, pressing the arm up to the stub, more of the mist pouring out to work within, starting to materialize the needed connections.

“Your schematics,” Reaper jerked his head to the data pad, “If I know how it work and have the supplies, I can make it,”

Genji jolted as feeling rushed back into the arm ,the fingers spasming and flexing as he raised it, shaking his head incredulously, “So is that where all your guns come from?”

Reaper gave a nod, pulling back and crossing his arms and Genji could tell his lover was more than a little smug about what he did, “I can fix you now,” 

A small smile graced Genji's lips as he flexed the arm, not feeling any sort of stiffness, “Ironic. You can fix me, but I can't do a thing to help you,” 

He dropped his gaze to the ground as he brought both hands to his lap. Reaper was silent, a bit of his bravado taken out of him by the comment. The room was silent other than the gentle breathing of Hanzo and the sound of the midnight insects outside the window. A low growl found its way out of Reaper, causing Genji to glance up as the mercenary moved over to the lab equipment in the room that had been used to treat Hanzo further once he arrived at the base, picking up one of the clean syringes. 

The mercenary stared at it for a second before holding out his right arm and all but sticking it into him, drawing out a black liquid that served as his blood in one pull. The blood though didn't look normal and once inside, seemed to start to come apart, lashing about with a mind of its own as if trying to get back to Reaper. The mercenary quickly squeezed the end of the needle, pinching it shut to keep the moving mass trapped inside. Without a word he stalked over to Genji,dropping the syringe of black, thrashing liquid in his lab, “I'm not taking anything she discovers,” he growled, crossing his arms, “But go ahead and play savior with that,”

Genji just stared at the syringe, picking it up and feeling a strange sort of detachment from his body. Carefully he set it aside, rising to his feet and stiffly walking over to Reaper and without a word, pulled him into a hug, burying his face into his chest, “You just enjoy making me cry, don't you?” Genji's said, his voice muffled. 

“You cry at everything,” Reaper grumbled but relented some wrapping one arm about the cyborg.

“I don't really but everything terrible seems to happen to me of late. Well, except you,” Genji lifted his face, giving a smile as he reached up to lift the mask just enough to lean up and plant a kiss against Reaper's face, “You are the one thing keeping my life together right now,”

Reaper just gave a grumble, turning his head and reachin a hand up to flick Genji's nose, “No sap in public,”

“So shy,” Genji chuckled, “And this isn't public,”

“Your brother is there. Don't make him wish he was dead catching you being a sap,” Reaper drawled.

Genji paused,looking over his shoulder at his sleeping brother, “He probably wouldn't care and just roll his eyes. He's caught me at far worse moments with people being in a far less dressed state and having a rather vigorous time and he has survived,” Genji gave a cheeky grin, “Me giving you a small kiss on the cheek is very tame,”

“You are terrible,” Reaper drawled, moving to take a seat, crossing his legs. 

Genji just gave a hum, resisting the urge to sit in Reaper's lap and instead sunk into his own chair, reaching over to pull Reaper's hand into his lap, “But you love me anyways,”

“Para mi vergüenza duradera, sí ,” Reaper murmured in Spanish, slouching in his chair.

“Te amo Reaper,” Genji responded.

Reaper tilted his head some, looking at Genji, “Usted habla español ahora?”

“Don't know what you said. Just looked up how to say I love you,” Genji admitted with a small laugh and shrug. 

“Se pronuncia Te amo,” Reaper drawled, sitting up some, “Teee amo, Ahora repita,”

Genji gave a small smile, sitting up abit, leaning in, “Te amo? Like that?” he asked, trying to copy what Reaper had said, “Are you going to teach me Spanish then? Take away the fun of me surprising you with phrases?”

“Si. Tu español es terrible,” Reaper drawled before tapping his chest and repeating slowly, in a mocking way as if speaking to a child, “Me llamo Gabriel Reyes. ¿Cuál es tu nombre?”

Genji gave a roll of his eyes but was unable to fight the smile off his face, letting out a sigh and giving an innocent shrug, “Wakarimasen,” he responded in Japanese.

That didn't seem to stop Reaper, the mercenary leaning in, “Me llaaaaammmo. Gabriel Reyes. ¿Cuál eeeees tuuuuuu nooooombre? Ahora repita,” 

This time Genji pointed to himself, “Watashinonamaeha Genji Shimada. Anata no onamae wa Gabriel Reyes?” 

Reaper tilted his head before leaning in, further, “En español, mi cielo,” He growled.

The smile couldn't grow any wider on his Genji's face but he relented, giving a smile, tapping his chest, “Me llamo Genji Shimada?”

“Bueno,” Reaper gave a nod, pausing before giving a poor attempt at mimicing Genji's Japanese “ Watashinonamaeha Gabriel Reyes,” turning his head away some. 

Genji just chuckled, leaning in, “Yoi,” he murmured, leaning to plant a small kiss to the cheek of Reaper's mask. 

The two languages filled the silence, the two exchanging brief phrases and Genji couldn't contain that small budding happiness in his chest. Everything had seemed so bleak, so desperate but now, now at least there seemed to be some light, some small hope. 

It reminded Genji, in that moment, what all this fighting against Talon was for and what the purpose of all these setbacks were. 

To ensure that that light, that hope never went out for himself or for those he cared about. The future was more than worth fighting for with every fiber of his being.


	10. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get your tissues. This has many feels that go up and down. I'm sorry for the long delay! This chapter was exceptionally difficult to write and it had to go in a bout a dozen different directions before it settled on a plot. 
> 
> Also another chapter added. I figured a slow chapter of everyone sorting things out personally at the estate would be a nice addition. short chapter to tie things up, then chapter twelve is huge action chapter. Then Thirteen is the aftermath chapter c: That's the final plan now u__u
> 
> Broken up version for those who prefer things more bite sized c: https://macabrecabra.tumblr.com/private/147059154896/tumblr_o9ypq5MWk71usxu17
> 
> Also if you hit me up on Macabrecabra on tumblr, you can submit your ship ideas to my ask fic collection of "Shipping Snacks for Hungry Shippers" c: I don't post those fic on AO3 as they are more personalize to what you thirst for in a ship (SFW only u_u )

Chapter Ten: Family

 

When Hanzo opened his eyes again, Genji couldn't fight the smile of relief that bloomed across his face as he watched his brother gradually take in his surroundings. The archer blinked slowly a few times, eyes on the ceiling before finally his gaze moved to his younger brother sitting at his bedside. Hanzo gave a few more blinks as if to assure himself that what he saw before him was in fact, his brother and not some illusion before raising a hand to rub tiredly at his eyes.

“Genji?” He mumbled softly, his voice muffled some by the oxygen mask he still wore.

A small chuckle escaped the cyborg as he tilted his head, “Who else would it be?” Genji drawled in that teasing tone he used to use with his brother in the past. The mirth faded some though at Genji's next words, his gaze dropping to the floor, “I was worried you would not awake again,”

The room was silent after those words. Hanzo watched him quietly for a few moments before letting out a soft sigh as he had done in the past, a quiet sound that had always been a sign he was dropping his walls enough to let his little brother, at the very least, peek behind the walls.

“I did not mean for … the night to turn out like it did,” Hanzo murmured, looking away.

“No one meant for it to turn out that way,” Genji spoke quietly, eyes still on the floor, “But you seem eager to die and that worries me more than anything. I'm afraid I might lose you just as soon as I've found you again,”

Hanzo didn't respond and the silence was so uncomfortable and there was no sound nor distraction to drowned out that soundless void. When Reaper and him had been sharing their languages, the silence was easy to fill but as time had gone by, Reaper seemed to become restless. He was not one to sit around for long or to socialize for long periods of time. Eventually he had gone quiet, staring rather intently at Hanzo at times. As the time continued to pass, the mercenary finally took his leave, giving a mumbled excuse that was hard to make up. Genji figured he wanted to leave the two brother's alone but still, the behavior was a little odd, even by Reaper's standards. He had been rather agitated to be sure.

Now alone though with his brother, Genji wasn't sure how to proceed.

Taking a deep breath, Genji let his gaze slide over his wounded brother, hands curling into fists on his knees, “When you left the Shimada clan and vanished off the face of the earth I... did not know what to truly feel or think at the time. Maybe anger, yes, but I couldn't stop worrying about where you had gone. I feared you being dead more than I feared anything else,” 

“The clan no longer was important,” Hanzo's tone was dull as he stared at the wall opposite of his bed.

Again, a veil of suffocating silence descended between them. Although there was so much Genji wanted to say it was so difficult to find the words to express everything he felt burning inside. He wanted to talk about how he had been angry when Hanzo had left the Shimada clan. Hanzo's abandonment of the clan had made the reason for Genji's death meaningless. It had made it a pointless death. Not only that, but the crimes of Genji's lavish lifestyle did not seem to warrant a death setence. It had been such an extreme reaction to something that had been honestly mundane by the standards of the clan. Even to this day, the reason why Hanzo had taken such extremes and so perfectly planned how he would commit his fratricide still alluded all reasonable thought for genji. He may have forgiven his brother, but the question of why still burned unanswered in his soul. 

Why had things gone so terrible between them when they were once so close? Why had Hanzo agreed to kill him? Why had his brother become so cold?

What was it that had gone wrong?

Genji lifted his gaze to his brother, his expression lost, “The clan is no longer around. It has faded into the past much like everything else,” he let out a soft sigh, “There is so much I want to say, that I want to understand and know about what happened. And yet, at the same time, I would be content never knowing, just as long as...” 

His voice trailed off. It was so hard to speak now. His meditations where he had pondered his words and had slowly, with Zenyatta's help, crafted what to say felt great distances away now. Nothing felt right to say. Even in his native tongue of Japanese, the words to express how he felt seemed beyond his ability to properly form.

Hanzo looked at him, the tiredness in his brother's eyes made him appear so much older. He was only three years old than Genji, not even forty, and yet he was already graying at the temples, the tiny wrinkles at the corner of his eyes showing the weight of the solitude, guilt, and grief that bore his body down towards the earth.

“It is better if you do not know,” Hanzo finally said, his voice soft, dropping his gaze, “I am ashamed of how I felt, how I thought about you in the years leading to my hideous crime. How blinded I was by my own care for only myself,” 

“You had a lot of responsibility on your shoulders becoming the head of the clan. I should have been a better brother and shouldered more-” Genji began only for Hanzo to let out a growl, causing Genji to look up suddenly.

Hanzo was glaring at him, sitting up with some difficulty and wrenching the oxygen mask away from his face, “Stop trying to take the blame, Genji. You've always taken the blame for everything!” 

Genji jumped as the fatal “I'm sorry” nearly slipped out from between his lips as he stared at Hanzo. He had not expected Hanzo's anger to flare in retaliation to his words. His brother was shaking some, his breathing a bit labored as he was still recovering from yesterday yet despite the venomous fury of the outburst, there was no anger in his eyes. There was frustration yes, but a greater sense of guilt and sadness dominated the pained eyes of his brother. 

Hanzo swallowed hard, slumping back again, “You always take the blame,” his tone was quiet as his gaze dropped from Genji, “Every time we got in trouble, every time I made a mistake, every time mother yelled at you for no reason, every time Genji, you just accepted what was being done to you and forgave. You took the blame. This once though Genji, don't try and make the crime less heinous and brush it under the table. Don't forgive me so easily. This once, I need to take the blame entirely,”

A sharp pain was growing in Genji's chest and feeling like a splinter wedged deep in his heart. There was no mask to cover his face and hide the helplessness that was in his expression, that uncertainty of what to do to comfort his brother and try to convey that if taking the blame meant keeping what was left of their broken nearly destroyed family together, then he would do so. He wanted to do so. 

He needed to do so. 

Genji took a deep breath, working hard to control the tremor in his voice as he looked down, “I can't do that Hanzo. This is too heavy a burden for you to carry alone as you have done for so many years. You have always been the one to save me, to keep me out of trouble-”

“Genji stop,” Hanzo interrupted, looking away, “How can you say I am someone who has saved you when it was my hands that killed you and left you for dead?”

“Because I am still alive,” Genji answered simply, looking up, “I know you brother. If you had wanted me dead, you would have made your stroke fatal, but you didn't,” 

Hanzo did not speak, his gaze back to staring at head at the wall, his expression stony but his eyes still holding that exposed guilt, “You presume much behind an outcome that was pure luck,”

“Maybe. Maybe,” Genji kept his gaze downward, his eyes tracing the delicate machinery of his fingers, “That was then though. That was the past and even if you wish I would rage and curse you now, Hanzo. I cannot and for the guilt you seem to want to bare, I will now bare it also. I must have done something to force you to such extreme actions,”

“Genji,” Hanzo spoke his name loudly in a more exasperated tone, raising his voice to try and interrupt but the cyborg only shook his head. 

A stubborn glint was in the eyes of the younger Shimada and his mouth had become a thin line as he looked up at his brother, “No. Nothing you say, nothing you can do will change that fact. You are my brother. Have been my brother. Will still be my brother. If we keep trying to carry the past on our own we are doomed to fail and to hurt ourselves more,”

It was Hanzo this time that looked away but Genji was not going to allow his brother to run away this time. Although the elder Shimada seemed dead set on losing himself to his own inner demons and drown himself in the ocean of his own deeds that had grown cancerous and destructive, this time Genji wasn't going to turn a blind eye and ignore the struggle his brother had.

Hanzo was far to proud, even now, to admit he needed help moving on. Genji had been the same many years ago when Zenyatta had approached him and if his omnic teacher had imparted any wisdom upon his brightest pupil, it was that tenacity to hold on to those that were in danger of slipping out of reach to be helped. 

Genji reached to grab his brother's hand, the action bringing Hanzo's attention sharply back to his brother. The cyborg offered a slight smile, “We were the strongest and more ourselves, anija, when we worked together and had the trust to know we had each other's back,”

There was still no response from Hanzo, his gaze flicking down to where Genji was holding onto his hand before looking away again. He was still so cold and distant and Genji felt a raw pain just gazing upon his brother in this fallen, tortured state. Even after that brush with death and Hanzo's gasped words as he crossed into the grey twilight between life and death, there was still that distance that still seemed too wide a gap to bridge.

Genji's didn't let go of the hand though, listless as it was in his grip. His brother hung above the precipice of his own mind. Letting go right now felt like it would be letting Hanzo go to fall into his own dark thoughts again. The cyborg closed his eyes, racking his brain for something, anything he could say to bring his brother back from that dark place. Genji opened his eyes as a memory began to work its way through his mind.

A memory from a far distant time for both of them.

“The river near the vacation home, do you remember it?” Genji asked quietly, staring at his brother's gnarled hand, “We were not suppose to go near the river in early spring. Father was always afraid of the spring melt,”

“The river grew wilder at that time and the current swifter,” Hanzo murmured, “And not to mention, you had not bothered to learn how to swim until much later in life,” 

Genji gave a slight smile, “When it became required of my training. I tended to put a lot of things off,” The smile faded some, “But I never did like admitting I couldn't do anything,”

“It always got you into trouble in the end. You never could be honest in front of friends,” Hanzo slowly turned to look at his brother again, “You boasted quiet often if I recall,” 

“Nearly cost me my life didn't it the spring of my seventh year of life,” Genji gave a soft laugh, “Remember? We were on retreat and father told us to stay away from the river, as he always did, but we didn't listen. We snuck down there with the village children to cast stones and try to catch minnows in the shallows,”

Hanzo shook his head, “How could I forget? Takumi was bragging about how he had learned to swim the previous summer and could swim all the way across the river,” 

The elder Shimada's voice trailed off as Genjii nodded, looking up at his brother, “And I told him he was full of it and then one thing led to another. I lied that I could swim. I was the only one in the group who still couldn't. Didn't help everyone was three to four years older. Being the youngest probably was why I boasted so much,”

“Maybe. You boasted so much Takumi got fed up and dared you to prove it and to swim in the river. He started to make fun of you when you declined,” Hanzo's expression softened, “And you wouldn't let me defend you from the taunts,”

“They were taunting me about that too if I recall. Baby sparrow just cries to his brother, little liar baby bird,” Genji made a slight face, “My small pride was all but riled up and so...” 

 

Genji closed his eyes heaving a soft sigh. He had really been a brash youth and always wanting to make his big brother proud among their friends. Very often, Genji had no friends of his own and would be holding onto the back of his brother's shirt to go play, not something Hanzo minded, but something that his older friends did mind. No one wanted a “baby” around He wasn't as fast or as big or as tough as the other kids. Being small at that age, he had so much more to prove so he had been rather loud, always claiming he could do things he couldn't. Usually this boastful behavior led to harmless things like getting stuck in a tree sobbing for his mother because he couldn't get down, or getting stuck in sucking mud and shrieking for Hanzo to save him before the earth ate him, or trying to scramble over a fence and ripping his pants and having to sprint back home, bare bottomed, to the sound of laughter from the other children. 

It had all been harmless though. He had never been in any real danger. 

Waddling out in only his undergarments in a frigid river to prove he was man enough to swim when he had no clue how had been a very bad idea. The water had been so cold and his teeth had been chattering so bad he could barely speak, standing there up to his waist, miserable and wet, whining the entire time. Takumi just goaded him on though with insults that were picked up by the other children. Only Hanzo was silent, giving a disproving look to the whole situation and telling Takumi to shut up. Of course Genji couldn't let his brother defend him and had thrown an insult at Takumi. Like any petty child, Takumi had picked up one of Genji's discarded shoes and threw it into the water, the article of clothing bobbing in the current as it floated off. 

The children had laughed as Genji yelled, panic having seized him as he gave chase to the floating shoe, splashing about in the river in a desperate attempt to grab it. His mother was easy to displease and losing a brand new shoe would have earned her ire and then it would come out Hanzo and himself had disobeyed their father and been down at the river. The fear of getting into trouble and grounded had, for a terrible brief moment, outweighed the fear of the river itself. He hadn't paid attention to how far he was getting from the shore.

He went out too far trying to get the shoe.

Genji opened his eyes, lifting his head to meet Hanzo's own gaze, “That small bit of pride I had to defend nearly cost my life that day,”

“Nearly cost our life,” Hanzo turned to stare off out the window, lost in his own memories of that day, “I did not act wisely either,”

A smile appeared again, small and hesitant as Genji looked away to the open window of the room as well, “You jumped into the river after me as I was being swept off like a leaf, sputtering and floundering,”

“The current was far too strong for a ten year old boy to swim in. It could have easily ended in both of us dying,” Hanzo pointed out, “We were lucky,”

Even now the memory seemed so fresh to Genji and the fear he felt in that moment was so easy to recall. The fear of the water as his head went under shrieking and taking mouthfuls of the ice cold suffocating liquid. From head to toe he was bathed in the cold waters, sucking away the heat his small body had. He could have been sobbing as the fear of death seized him in that moment. He had flailed desperately unable to keep above the water. Then, someone had grabbed him by the arm, vainly trying to pull him along. Genji's panic had fueled him in latching onto his savior tightly. His brother was not that much bigger then him and Hanzo hadn't been prepared to deal with Genji's Panic. Even as Genji had tried to climb onto his brother wailing and gasping, Hanzo f floundered, yelling at him to calm down. Genji had nearly dragged them both down if not for a sudden shift in the river's course, that sliver of good fortune that had pushed them a little closer towards the shore and Hanzomanaged to touch the bottom just enough for him to surge forward into shallower, calmer eddies at the bank.

Genji hadn't let go even when Hanzo, panting heavily and shivering with cold, hauled his sobbing younger brother onto the shore. He still hadn't let go by the time they were brought home, practically wrapping himself around Hanzo.

“Still we survived to be grounded for what felt like the rest of our lives,” Genji gave a slight laugh, “I was pretty sure I was about ready to throw myself back into the river with how upset mother was,”

“I think that was the longest we were ever grounded,” Hanzo gave a small chuckle, “The rest of vacation spent studying and reorganizing the family library to her liking. It felt like we were grounded for a year,”

Genji gave another short laugh, “To be honest, I think we are still technically grounded for that incident. I do vaguely remember in her angry shrieks as she had us each by a ear that we were grounded for the rest of our lives,”

That earned a louder laugh from Hanzo, a sound Genji did not think he would have ever heard again. That simple sound seemed to break through the tension in the room like the rays of the sun cutting through the gloom of a rainy day, bringing a touch of warmth back to the world. Genji tilted his head as he gave Hanzo a rueful grin, “Takumi though and the others thought you so cool then. It was the talk of the village for years after among the other children,”

“The story got more and more exaggerated each time as well. By the time we came back, a dragon was involved in snatching you away,” Hanzo shook his head with a sigh, “You didn't help in spreading the legend and adding a second dragon,”

Genji gave a shrug, “Have to let everyone know my brother is the greatest dragon slayer in Japan,”

The smile faded some though as Genji looked down again, “Last night though, last night felt like being in the river again. The same fear, the helplessness to do anything, and you were there again. Again, we both nearly died,”

“You always get into trouble,” Hanzo responded quietly, “You always get in over your head,”

“But you always are there to get me out of trouble,” Genji let go of his brother's hand moving to rest it on Hanzo's shoulder, “You've saved my life a dozen times. You've only tried to kill me once. Think on that, anija, then ask why I forgive you for that night,”

Nothing was said for a long stretch of time but there was no hurry. There was no tension as there had been before. That thin break in the clouds that had surrounded his brother for so long remained. Hanzo lifted his gaze to look at Genji. It wasn't just a slight glance, not one riddled with guilt as if looking upon Genji caused him pain. 

For the first time, the look was that of an older brother finally realizing it was his younger brother who sat beside him. 

“Why do you forgive me then?” Hanzo finally asked.

“Because you are my brother and the only family I have left and despite it all, I have hope for you to move past this, with me, and salvage what we can of our family,” Genji's response was soft but firm and showed no hesitation. 

“Things won't be as they once were Genji,” Hanzo responded softly, “You know that,”

“I know, but that does not mean we can't create something new. After all, I certainty do not want to take baths with my brother like we used to do as toddlers. Nor do I want to share a bunk bed with you or wear your hand me down clothes or suffer your awful brotherly head rubs,” Genji gave a slight smile, “But we can leave the past in the past and rebuild something better together,”

Hanzo lay there for a moment, closing his eyes and his brow knitted in thought. Slowly he sat up opening his eyes, “I don't think I can forget the past,”

“There is a difference between letting the past be the past and forgetting, anija,” Genji looked down at the floor, “I only wish to have my brother back and not to see you fall further,”

Such a simple statement to say really. It was just a small wish, a small desire and yet just the desire to have his brother back seemed to be a mountain to ascend. The words had always struggled to come out. Now at a summit the two stood, the shadowy valley behind them and a brighter one before. They would either step forward together or step backwards. 

Hanzo didn't speak,his eyes on his hands which were clenched some, his expression the usual impassive stone but his eyes held a conflict within them. Genji could practically see his thoughts swirling around, the battle he was having with himself between the desire to accept and let go and the desire to cling to his guilt and need to punish himself for every small slight he could imagine. 

The sound of the door opening broke the silence like a brick into a mirror, both Shimada men looking up as Mercy entered, clipboard in hand and giving an apologetic smile, “Sorry to interrupt but wanted to check up on the patient,”

“Okay,” Genji managed to say with a small smile as he moved to get to his feet, “Do you ah, need my help for anything?”

“No, I've got this but thank you for asking,” She gave a small chuckle, “Just got to make sure things are healing well and no infections have started to creep in,”

A small, hesitant nod was given from Genji as he stepped aside to let the Swiss doctor move in, starting to check the readings on the device. Hanzo still remained silent as the doctor worked, her lips pursed some. He didn't want to seem displeased as Mercy was only doing her duty, but he had wished the interruption would have come at a later time. 

She paused though to look over her shoulder briefly at Genji, a slight confused expression, “Oh, before I forget, Tracer did stop by a little earlier. She looked oddly apprehensive. Wanted to talk to you but I said you were a bit busy at the time, speaking to your brother,”

That caused Genji some surprise, his brow furrowing in obvious confusion, “I wonder what she wanted,” 

Tracer was not an easy girl to intimidate. She might get worried or concerned, but apprehensive was not a word to describe her. From Genji's personal experience, Tracer could watch horror movies that had Genji laying awake at night fearful of every little sound while she was completely fine and poking fun at his obvious discomfort. The cyborg got a sinking feeling it had something to do with Reaper given the reaction she had had to his face. 

Monsters on a screen were one thing but seeing something of a Lovecraft horror story before her eyes still had shaken her. 

A sigh escaped Genji as he cast a look to his solemn brother and Mercy, the latter gently starting to change his bandages, “Be gentle with him. He's fragile,” Genji teased some, hazarding a slight smile.

Hanzo glanced at his brother, lips set in a slight frown, “Genji, you should see what your friend wants and be on your way,” He began, Genji's expression falling some 

Yet there, in the solemn expression was a glint of something else. A familiar little spark that had Genji pausing as the corners of Hanzo's mouth twitched some, “When I am released from medical, we will speak again, Otouto. There is still much to rebuild,”

Genji blinked, eyes a bit wide before he broke into a sincere smile, nodding hastily, “of course, anija! I look forward to it,”

That smile couldn't be taken from Genji's face and his steps had never been lighter. That simple statement had lifted a crippling weight from the shoulders of the cyborg and the sunlight coming in through the windows seemed to be just that much brighter. Still, there was the concern Tracer, a slight dull grey on the horizon but it couldn't have been too urgent at least. 

It didn't take long to find where Tracer had gotten to. That wasn't to say the base was particularly huge, but today it seemed more empty of people than usual causing a small edge of unease to creep into the back of Genji's mind. He found her with McCree sitting in the cafeteria, both of them looking up quickly when he entered.

Genji raised his hands and an eyebrow at their reaction noticing the tension that was clear in their posture, “Hey now. I was told you were looking for me earlier,” Genji spoke slowly, noting how their posture remained still fairly rigid, a hesitant smile on Tracer's face

“Yeah, I did, well,” She looked away nervously, rubbing the back of her head, “Is there...something up with Reaper? He's been rather strange,”

That caused Genji to tilt his head, a slight frown on his lips as he crossed his arms, “Odd in what way?”

“Nothing offensive meant, Genji just, he's been creeping about, well, more than usual,” Jesse interrupted, “Talking to himself even and not just in one language mind you. Making strange ass sounds and watching us like he's debating some action before taking off faster than a skittish cat...” 

Genji's frown didn't leave his face as he approached the two, “You sure you aren't just spooked because you know, you saw his face?” Genji commented idly.

“It isn't that Genji,” Tracer protested, “True it was a shock to see what he really looked like but I've come to terms with it. This is a different feeling! Like being watched and feeling like someone wants you dead. Like being bloody hunted or something and Jesse is right about the strange noises. Like a grating metal noise,”

A sigh escaped Genji as he eyed them both suspiciously, “You aren't doing a good job of convincing me something is going on,”

Exasperation was clear across Jesse's face as he brought his cigar to his lips, “You sound just like Morrison. Only person half believing us is Winston,” he grumbled.

Tracer's shoulders slumped, “That's because Morrison thinks we are just, I don't know,” she let out a frustrated sigh, “We aren't trying to instigate anything about Reaper's behavior but I just... I don't think something is right,”

Genji could tell the frustration they felt was real. Neither of them seemed to be accusing Reaper of treason or the like, just a strante behavior and to be perfectly honest with himself, Reaper's earlier behavior as he had left the room was a bit odd. A sigh escaped Genji as he shook his head, trying to grasp at more logcial conclusions than jumping to something being wrong. That line of thought lead back to the ever present threat of Reaper simply vanishing at any moment, “I'll find Reaper and ask him to lay off his stalking. I honestly think he is just doing it because you are letting it bother you,”

It wouldn't be completely out of character for Reaper. Just because he was working with them did not mean he entirely trusted or respected them. Causing them some unease would be right up Reaper's brand of dark entertainment no doubt. 

Genji's words though seemed to sooth the concerns Tracer and McCree had been feeling, the former offering a grateful smile while the latter's shoulders seemed to hold a little less tension.

“I hope that is all it is. If that is all it is, I can just get use to it. Maybe find a way to counter spook him,” Tracer gave a chuckle, shaking her head, “Will be hard though I bet to spook Reaper!” 

“If he really is just trying to a fright out of us, then I can put it all behind me and know he'll stop when we grow wise to his game. Hopefully at least,” McCree murmured but his tone showed clear uncertainty that such a mundane explanation was the cause of his unease. 

“Just wait here and I'll figure things out. Hopefully Reaper doesn't feel like playing hide and go seek now,” Genji murmured, shaking his head before turning to leave. 

Finding Reaper could be easy or difficult depending on his mood. Of course though the first place to check was their shared room. Empty though without a trace of Reaper having been through recently which meant he was most likely creeping around the halls. With a merry hunt to look forward to, Genji let out a soft sigh and began to quietly move down the hallways, keeping an eye out for any shadows moving against the movement of the light. 

The base was quiet, not unusual, but something about it felt just a little bit more unnatural. Perhaps it was the way the two had described the situation that had sparked up a slight nervousness that something could be very wrong. Or perhaps the concerns of the other had spooked him a little too much given he knew both were not liken to tall tales. Well, at least Tracer was. 

With McCree it was harder to tell as sometimes real facts about the cowboy's life seemed like something out of a movie. 

Genji halted as he heard the sound of footsteps, heavy as if someone was deliberately making as much noise as possible, driving their heels into the ground and with a quick pace as if in a hurry to get somewhere. Yet the cadence of the steps were off, not entirely the same pace consistently as if the person were changing up their step with an added or missing step every once in a while. The cyborg furrowed his brow, his own footfall silent as he took off down the hall, easily able to track the odd steps. 

The sound led Genji around a corneer to show Reaper making a warpath away from him down the hallway, murmuring to himself under his breath in Spanish, sometimes switching to another language, clearly agitated. He was about to call out to the mercenary, but a sudden, low sound caused Genji to pause for a moment. 

McCree had been right when he said “strange ass noise”.

The noise came up like a rattle, almost metallic tone and was nothing a human throat was able to produce. There was a strange echo to the whole sound and if Genji had to place it, sounded almost like a low growl of agitation. Genji moved closer, giving a loud cough, causing Reaper to whirl around, an ominous swirl of smoke at his hands indicating he was about to draw his weapons, that strange growl spiking in volume for a second before cutting off entirely.

“Genji,” Reaper finally said at length, his tone sounded forced but he seemed to relax some, dismissing the mist. 

Genji just held up his hands giving a slight nervous laugh, “This is the second time I thought someone was going to shoot me today. Everyone is on edge it seems,”

“On edge, sure,” Reaper murmured, crossing his arms tightly, his posture defensive. 

Slowly the cyborg approached, trying to figure out what had the mercenary so uptight. He hadn't seen Reaper like this. True he had seen his lover when he was upset, irritated, or exasperated, hell, he had seen Reaper when he was positively bloodthirsty when they had first encountered Solider 76, but something about his posture now spoke of something else.

There seemed almost a sense of fear around Reaper.

“Something wrong?” Genji asked, reaching up to rest both hands on the side of the mercenary's mask, “Been some complaints about you spooking people,”

Reaper didn't respond, tensing up under the touch, hunching forward some and the insidious low growl from before managed to slip out before being cut off again. The reaction was enough to cause more concern to well up within Genji and start to overcast everything once more.

“Reaper? Talk to me. Are you okay?” Genji pressed, keeping his grip on the mercenary.

“I'm fine,” The response was so very forced as if hissed between clenched teeth. Yet a shudder ran through Reaper as if in protest of his words and another strange noise came out that sounded like a chorus of metallic groans, echoing around and shuddering off into a guttural sound almost like a clearing of the throat followed by whispered words, echoing pleadingly, “Not okay,” 

“Reaper?” A slight whisper of fear had edged into Genji's tone as he refused to let go, eyes searching that expressionless mask for an answer, “What is going on? You can tell me.”

There was silence again from Reaper although he gave a stubborn set to his shoulders, “I said I was fine,” he growled out, reaching up to tug Genji's hands down from his mask.

Genji scowled, eyes narrowing, “Then you said you weren't okay,”

Again there was no quick response from Reaper, the mercenary keeping his hold on Genji's hands as he lowered them down between them. He turned his attention down to their clasped hands for a moment, sliding the clawed thumb of his gauntlet over the metal seems of Genji's hand, “You are hearing things,”

“I don't hear things, Reaper,” Genji retorted, “And I don't like being lied to when I know there is something wrong. I know you can act distant, but this, this is beyond that. Gabriel. Please,”

Those last two words came out a faint whisper, not looking away as he made eye contact. Persistence was what was required here. Reaper never asked for help. He had far too much pride to admit when he was in over his head. 

Reaper let out a growl, sounding nearly like usual self although there was an underlying sigh of distress, “Its complicated. I can take care of it,”

“If Winston can explain astrophysics in terms even McCree can understand, then you can explain to me what is wrong,” Genji growled, “I can be very passive about some things but I am by no means a doormat,”

Another sibilant growl escaped Reaper, his entire form going rigid again as if struggling with something, the grip on Genji's hands tightening further. If his hands had been made of flesh and bone, the cyborg would have been worried honestly about Reaper crushing the bones in his hand, the grip was so tight. 

Reaper hunched forward, struggling with that movement as if some part of him was resisting the action, one hand coming up to grip hard at Genji's shoulder. A hiss rose up from within Reaper, grating like metal rushed against metal and buzzing low, “We. Are not. Okay,” 

The words were forced and without intonation, much like the voices of some of the younger omnics Genji had encountered at the monastery, unsure artificial intelligent beings that hadn't interacted much with humans to pick up the nuances of language entirely. Their were many voices as well giving it that strange echo chattering and harsh metallic tinge.

Nothing about it was normal at all and Genji nearly pulled back, forcing himself to not draw away, “We? Who is we? Reaper? What the hell is going on with you? If this is your take on a joke to give me a fright,” 

Reaper jolted back then, a more familiar snarl escaping him before he vanished quickly into smoke, taking off faster than the eye could catch, flitting out through the seams of a window. Genji stood there only for a second before turning on his heels and making a beeline for Mercy's lab. 

Something was wrong and if anyone had any sort of answers, it would be the only person who understood his condition to some extent. The cyborg nearly collided with the poor woman as she stepped out of her office, the only thing keeping her from crashing to the floor being the cyborg's hands gripping her shoulders. 

“Mercy, something is wrong with Reaper,” Genji's didn't even give Mercy time to ask what was wrong as the words rushed forth in a stream of near panic barely kept at bay, “He is acting strange, making noises that sound like- and it sounds like other voices are speaking at once!” 

“Genji, please! Slow down,” Mercy hastily responded, grabbing his wrists firmly to tug them away, “From the start, what are the symptoms?” 

The professional clipped tone caused Genji to straighten up some, taking a deep breath, shaking his head some to clear away the panic, “Reaper is acting fare more peculiar than usual. A strange metallic clicking sound, multiple voices. McCree and Tracer claim he has been stalking around and talking to himself. I tried to speak with him and it,” he paused, brow furrowed trying to put it to words, “I felt like I was speaking to someone else at times, like something else was trying to speak and Reaper was just forcing it back,”

Mercy's brow furrowed as she turned half away, shaking her head as she brought one hand up to her chin, “No, that can't be right though. My studies indicated...” Her voice trailed off before she quickly turned on her heels moving back into her lab.

Genji was hot on her trail, eyes narrowed and agitation clear in every step he took, “What can't be right? Is everyone going to be damn vague about what is going on?”

“I didn't think it possible!” Her tone was a strange mix of excitement and concern as her fingers flew over the keys of her computer, eyes intent on the screen, “The AI of the virus was primitive at most. Omnic in nature yes, but I did not think it was capable of being aware of itself. This changes everything,”

“Mercy please!” Genji brought both hands down on the desk beside her, the sound enough to cause her to jump and turn wide eyed towards him, “Tell me what is going on?”

Mercy blinked before taking a deep breath, holding it as she looked to the screen as if pondering what to say before letting it out slowly and turning back to Genji, “The virus that started this, the nanites? They possessed a primitive AI, nothing to spectacular, nothing that would make it sentient though. About as smart as any normal computer,”

“I follow that much but what does this have to do with Reaper?” Genji frowned, “Other than the fact it is the reason for his condition?”

“I initially thought the virus was destabilizing him due to its limited intelligence and understanding but what you are describing,” she shook her head, turning to the computer, “What you are describing is something that is more than aware of itself, that is aware of its state of being, and honestly? Explains the bizarre ease at which I've been able to start looking into something to help Reaper,”

She paused to point to the screen, looking back to Genji, “The virus is not trying to destabilize him Genji. It is trying to save Reaper's life and by extent its own life. All this time, all the shifts and changes, they weren't trying to tear him apart, but trying to calibrate diffrences to maintain an equilibrium. The virus is trying to keep Reaper alive. Its sentient! Actually sentient and aware of its host and since Reaper is talking to himself, I think Gabriel is aware of it as well. Almost like having your subconscious suddenly start to develop into its own separate entity,”

Genji stared at her, confusion clear in his expression, “So there is two of them?” He asked.

“Gabriel is Gabriel and seems to be sort of the control, the hive mind's central personality. The rest of it seems to be rather passive and set more on living. What experiences of living are shared completely with Gabriel,” Mercy rubbed her chin, squinting at the screen, “So they are one and the same and yet, at the same time, different. This is rather an incredible case. The fusing of machine and flesh and the fusing of two distinct intelligences into one being,”

“Well, I'm happy you are enjoying all of this, but it seems to me there is a major problem as this is the first time I can tell you Reaper was saying one thing and then contradicting himself and sounding like he was possessed,” Genji growled, fingers curling into a fist, “What is going on?”

Mercy shook her head, “I can't say for sure Genji. It could be a number of things. Could be something as simple as well, he needs to feed and the hunting of small animals has not been good in the area. Worse case scenario is that he is going beyond what his symbiotic virus can handle. Whatever the reason, the forced attempt at taking control is clear the AI wanting to perverse itself like a child throwing a tantrum. On a positive note though, seems Gabriel can easily maintain control if it is just small slips,”

“Well what can we do then to help him?” Genji growled out.

The medical officer was quiet for a moment before looking to Genji, “For starters, we can see about options for feeding,”

Genji stared at Mercy for a long moment of silent before he spoke, his voice lowered, “What sort of animals are we talking about being native to these parts and what tracks am I looking for?”

Mercy opened her mouth to reply before both jumped as an alarm shuddered through the base, blaring loud enough to have Genji's ears ringing with the sound. Over the din, the familiar voice of Athena came on, oddly calm despite the alarm going off, “All Overwatch personnel, please report to the command room. We have a situation,”

For a brief moment, Genji and Mercy shared a look, a shared concern bordering on dread on what that situation could be exactly. Or to be more accurate, who might be at the center of this sudden alarm. Without another word, both were rushing towards the command room.

Their fears at least were put at some ease as Reaper was there, arms crossed tight as he stood next to Morrison. Tracer, McCree, and Torbjörn stood across, eyes on the monitor as Winston furiously typed, loading up the video feed from multiple cameras. 

“What's going on?” Mercy asked, making sure to keep away from Reaper as she moved up next to Winston.

“We got company,” McCree murmured, “Looks like Talon has tracked us down,”

The door hissed open again, admitting Reinhardt into the room, Zenyatta tucked under one arm. The omnic monk had a hesitant posture to his form, as if he wasn't quiet sure he wanted to be there or not. Most likely he was there under some protest that Reinhardt wasn't going to acknowledge. The door oddly remained open though as if someone had entered in behind Reinhardt.

“What is going on?” Reinhardt bellowed, finally letting go of Zenyatta, storming over to stand behind Winston and Mercy.

“Talon is here,” Winston murmured, pushing up his glasses as he looked up at the screens, “and they are here in force. I've put the base in lock down but we are cornered in here,”

On the screen, the familiar black uniformed troops of Talon were making their way through the brush, the early warning systems of the Blackwatch base having detected the incoming force although there could be many more that were already closer. Genji scowled some, crossing his arms as McCree pushed up his hat, looking about the room.

“So what's our plan of attack?” the cowboy asked, “I for one am not up for dying in a corner,”

“We take them all out,” Reaper growled, “Then we move out of this base,”

“We will need time to get everything important packed up again,” Mercy murmured, “Sensitive information, research, and weaponry. Even then, we are going to be running back and forth to the ship which is in the garage and the most vulnerable point of entry. No doubt Talon will be aiming for the structure,”

“Then you split up,” A voice said from behind the group, “You have everyone you need here to achieve victory,”

Hanzo hobbled out from where he had been standing, having come in after Reinhardt, more or less masked by the huge man's presence. He gave a slight smile as Mercy gave him a pursed lipped glare, “I know I should be in bed, but you did say all Overwatch personnel,”

“Always the one to take advantage of the fine print,” Genji commented, giving a slight smile, “What do you suggest, oh wise brother?”

The elder Shimada cast a look around the room, taking stock of everyone before moving to sink into a chair, his breathing heavy. He had pushed himself just getting to the room, but despite his physical fatigue, the fire in his eyes was still as sharp as ever, “I say those of you that have combat training in stealth use hit and run tactics handle the group outside, lead them back into the forest. Don't be seen and make the kills quick. Those who are harder to hide should help hold the garage while a few of those that can move fast gather the necessary intel,”

“Reyes, Genji, McCree, and I can handle the hit and run outside,” Morrison shouldered his gun, his visor glinting, “We are the most mobile and have training for taking down targets discreetly,”

“Tracer, Winston, Zenyatta, and myself can get everything packed away and stowed on the ship,” Mercy volunteered, “Winston and I are the only ones who are aware of the sensitive data,”

“And I'm fast enough to be back and forth at two shakes of a leg,” Tracer gave a smile, “As well as to provide support if anyone else making the run gets into trouble,”

“Despite appearances as well, I am capable of lifting much more than most without strain,” Zenyatta put in carefully, hands folded in his lap, “Should personal affects be collected?”

Reinhardt frowned some, “If there is time left but if not, leave them. We can replace it all,” He looked to Torbjörn, giving a grin, “We will hold the garage then my friend,”

“Been meaning to test out a new turret targeting system,” The engineer replied, giving a wide grin, “Just like old times, eh Reinhardt? Both of us hammering something into the ground although you tend to put that hammer into the bodies of those dumb enough to get in our way,”

The tall man let out a loud laugh crouching down to clap Torbjörn on the back, “Ah! It is times like this the memories of the good battles of the past come swarming in!”

McCree gave a chuckle, looking over to Morrison, Reaper,and Genji, “Well now, how about we go keep our guests entertained eh? I am rather partial to minding my manners and being an excellent host. Better not keep them waiting,”

Reaper was already calling his guns to hand, resting the heavy pistols against his shoulder, a low growl escaping him with the barest hint of that second buzzing voice, “They've come to their own funeral,”

“Find what targets you can and happy hunting,” Morrison growled, locking and loading his gun.

“May the best cowboy win this rodeo,” McCree gave a wry grin.

Genji offered a slight smile before moving to slip his mask into place. Reaper didn't say a word, simply vanishing quickly in a puff of smoke that seemed to rush across the ground hungrily. Vaguely Genji remembered what he had discussed with Mercy as one of the reasons for Reaper's strange behavior.

There were going to be some Talon agents that were going to be nothing more than husks of empty skin and even Genji couldn't suppress the shiver at the thought. 

The sooner Mercy could find a way to aid his affliction to allow him a normal, less vicious way of feeding, the better.

It was easy enough to slip out of the base, Athena overriding protocols to open a back entrance to let the strike team out. None of them spoke a word, splitting off in opposite directions through the dense foliage, a trio of silent shadows. 

Genji didn't make a sound as he moved from tree branch to tree branch, the lights on his body off to mask his approach. In comparison, the Talon soldiers were as loud as clumsy cattle to the trained ears of the cyborg ninja. Coming upon his first small group of approaching hostiles was a simple task.

He balanced carefully on the branch, finger tips barely grazing the branch before he lifted a hand and silently called upon a trio of throwing stars to rest comfortably between his fingers. Quietly he counted his targets. Only five with no others in sight. Carefully he shifted his position some, tensing. Waiting.

He had to time this just right. 

The strike came quick, the stars thrown first, each one finding a mark in the weaker armor about the neck. Even as the last two turned to watch the apparent attack, with the skill of a gymnast, Genji swung down, clinging to the brand by the the bend of his knees to wrap ah and about the mouth of one of the soldiers, his sword making quick work across the throat. The last soldier whirled about, eyes wide, only quick enough to watch is companion fall and nervously raise a hand to the com unit, a a hand that never reached the switch before it was cut lose and he was toppling backwards, dead as a second blow cut across the neck. 

Genji didn't waste time in surveying his handiwork, quickly dragging the bodies more into the brush at the base of a tree and out of of line of sight. Leaving dead bodies in the clearing would alert Talon no doubt to the fact they were being flanked. There was a ring of gunshot in the distance followed by a more rapid volley more akin to the gun Soldier 76 preferred. Clearly they were having a happy hunt as well.

As Genji took back to the trees, seeking out his next targets, a sudden scream ripped through the air, a scream that seemed to well up from from the very center of human terror, echoing in the woods before being cut off suddenly. That single final cry of mortal terror could only mean that Mercy had been correct in one of her assumptions.

It was easy to forget what Reaper was capable and what he had done in the past and Genji knew it would simply be easier to try to erase that part of who he was. Such an action though in Genji's mind was nothing short of hypocrisy. It was not like his own hands were free of blood. Growing up in the Shimada clan and enduring mental training to prepare himself for being able to close off emotionally while taking a life had meant he had participated in crimes to please his family as well as more personal vendettas. Even a playboy had his fangs, his petty jealousies that had been the death sentence to more people than Genji wanted to admit. To ignore how much blood Reaper bore on his hands was to try and scrub away the red stains that had permanently left their mark.

A deep breath helped to steady Genji some as he drew his blade, taking off in the direction of the scream. That no doubt would pull the other Talon operatives in the area towards that sector and although Reaper liked to assume he was able to take down a small army on his own, he was going to be outnumbered rather quickly. He wasn't immune to pain or death when all was said and done. 

Another horrific scream rented the air briefly with the sound of gunshots a pulsating rhythm below the violence that made it far too easy find where Reaper was stalking. The com crackled with Morrison's voice, as the sounds of conflict grew louder, “Dammit Reyes, he's out of his goddamn mind”

“At least he is making one hell of a distraction to keep all of Talon on him,” McCree grumbled, “Like shooting panicked fish in a barrel over here now,”

Genji landed a branch, his visor flashing as he switched views to infrared, tracking the heat signatures of various bodies, “What about Reaper? He still okay?”

“He's avoiding conflict as far as I can tell, picking off stragglers,” Morrison growled out, “Or was. Talon is grouping up and shooting at any little leaf that moves now,”

“Can you really blame them?” McCree responded dryly, “I just stumbled over what looks like a sunken in mummy of a man and pretty sure Reaper used some of his whatever smoke to do the dead,”

Genji ducked down as a few stray shots peppered over him, watching the mass of soldiers bunch up, watching their flanks as shots were fired into their ranks. Whatever surprise they had thought they had in raiding the base had been thrown away at this point. Genji grimaced as two more were taken down with precise shots, a spray of blood following them down to the earth.

“What your fire McCree, you nearly took me out,” Morrison snapped. 

“Not responsible for any liabilities out here,” McCree drawled, “Don't stand across from where I'm trying to shoot,”

Genji's hand rose to the sword on his back, “Everyone keep clear, bunched like this, they are easy for my blade to seek out,”

A swirl of energy erupted from around the handle of the blade, the low hiss of the dragon starting to fill the air. The Talon invaders didn't know what blunder they had made.

“Ryūjin no ken wo kurae!” Genji roared, feeling the coils of the dragon as they wrapped around, infusing his already impressive senses to new heights as he dove int othe mass, his sword undetable to the human eye with how fast it moved. Genji came to a halt at the far end of the clearing, his sword sliding into its sheath with a click. 

Behind him the shoulders collapse to the ground as death finally caught up with gravity. McCree blew a low whistle as he stepped out of his cover, surveying the scene, “Well, that takes care of these pests,”

“I don't like it,” Morrison growled, stepping out, “They were far too loud to be an infiltration team. Something about this smells like a-”

“We are under fire!” Reinhardt's voice boomed through the com, making the three men wince in unison. 

“We are on our way,” Morrison responded, “How are you holding?”

“Bah! Easy to hold!” Reinhardt boasted, “My shield holds strong for now in the doorway but they are being rather persistent and-”

There was a shriek of static and the three hunters shared a silent glance before charging back towards the base through the foliage. With his swifter form, Genji was able to easily out pace the other two, leaping over the underbrush with ease, taking back to the treetops as he pushed himself forward faster and faster. 

The base came into view, besieged by a group of Talon troops dressed more efficiently than the grunts encountered in the distraction move in the forest. A familiar face stood at the command. It was, after all, hard to forget the face of Doctor Bolgriv when he had been threatening to tear Genji apart for research. The source of the static was clear enough. Some sort of coding had knocked out the electrical devices, no doubt that damnable harpy disruptor coming back into play. The door lay open and Reinhardt was cursing colorfully as his shield failed, gripping his hammer in both hands as he ready himself to charge into the fray. Behind him, Torbjörn was raising hell, cursing as he worked to try and get his disabled turrets online. 

Zenyatta, at least had not been around in the area when it went off. A small comfort at least. 

“This is far too easy, Overwatch! Is that all it takes to reduce you to shambles? Just a small little device like that?” Bolgriv taunted, smirking as he pushed up his glasses on his aged face, “Don't have a real challenge?”

There was a sudden burst of black mist in the ranks of the Talon troops as Reaper materialized, drawing his guns, “You talk too much,” Reaper growled before opening fire into the ranks. 

The troops fell back some, the pressure being taken off the garage and Genji dropped down to the ground, hand going to the handle of his smaller sword as he rushed towards Reaper's position. There were troops down and yet Bolgriv didn't look concern, in fact he simply raised a gun that looked more like a hand-held tranquilizer used by animal control to handle dangerous wild animals. As Reaper turned to regard the scientist, the smile on Bolgriv's face grew more twisted, “I never did thank you for the stun you pulled on me before, Reaper, draining me like that. My own bloody creation used against me!” he commented, “My nanite virus, resurfaced. It is a pity I have to put down my greatest perfection,”

Reaper snarled both guns lifting and fingers already squeezing the trigger. Bolgriv fired first, the dart flying forward and finding its mark in the exposed skin of Reaper's upper arm. The mercenary recoiled, dropping one gun to rip the dart out of his arm. Yet already, the once pale skin was rapidly darkening around the puncture wound. Reaper seized up, gripping onto the afflicted arm, the entire arm twitching all the fingers flexing and clenching without any sort of rhyme or reason.

The entire world seemed to slow down for Genji as he watched Reaper hunch over and start to heave. The mercenary staggered, shuddering before dropping to his knees, both hands clutching at his chest, a chocked sound of a cut of scream of pain seemed to resonate in his entire form before he sunk forward onto his hands, body arched as black fluid started to drizzle out from around the mask. Desperately he clawed at the mask pulling it off, heaving before a metallic mass of black liquid was vomited up with pieces of half formed metal. The hit arm was completely black now, a drizzlin obsidian colored liquid cascading down from the now gaping woundand onto the ground. The arm gave way and Reaper collapsed onto his side, twitching and writhing. Genji's mouth was open in a silent screen behind his visor, feeling miles away as he watch his lover start to come apart at the very seams of his being in a horrific mess.

 

Bolgriv was smirking wide as if he had won a personal victory. Callously, he gave a savage kick to Reaper's side, causing another black smear to rupture out from the afflicted, heaving body, “Every virus has a cure you see, Reaper. All you need to do is administrate it and poof. The virus is gone. I'm sure it is rather slow and agonizing but you deserve no less,”

Reaper wheezed louder, a cracking sound filling the air as he gripped on the ground, one arm nothing but blackened bones and black slime. Finally the sound of absolute agony ripped forth in a shriek that would have ripped the vocal cords of a normal human being raw in moments. Then Reaper went silent, jerking and tensing up unnaturally before starting to collapse to the ground the form twitching but most movement stopping as the rapid deterioration spread to his legs just as Genji finally came into Bolgriv's line of sight from the side.

A sense of rage filled Genji as he had never felt before. A sharp hatred that he had never felt so acutely towards another living person and the only thought in his mind was how much he wanted to kill Bolgriv. To bash the mad Talon doctor blood across the ground. There was real fear in Bolgriv's face, his troop support being taken down as Mccree and Morrison burst upon the scene, guns blazing. His hand went for the device at his side to activate it and try to save his own skin from the enraged cyborg's wrath. 

He barely got his hand around the device before Genji was upon him. Genji didn't bother with weapons when his entire body was more than lethal enough. Bolgriv let out a cry of pain as Genji's fist collided with his face before the Talon doctor was forced to the ground. The visor hid the face of pure malice Genji wore, teeth clenched so hard in rage no sounds escaped him. He merely silently pulled his arm back before bringing it forward to rain another blow into Bolgriv's face. Blood sprayed into the air, splattered across the earth and metal as Genji pulled back his fist again to bring it crashing into the man's face again and again. Flesh and bone gave way and a pitiful wail rose up from Bolgriv. None of it was enough though. 

He had killed Reaper. He had made it an agonizing end. Genji was more than ready to keep Bolgriv alive long enough to feel ever damn bone in his body be broken. In that moment of such heightened fury, all Genji wanted to do was to make this pathetic excuse of a man a pulpy mess of tissue and fluid across the ground where his head should be. The bloodthirsty desire for vengeance had roared to life as much as the dragon inside him seemed to scream its raged.

Never in Genji's entire life had the desire to kill been more keenly felt. 

A sudden arm about his chest pulling him back and someone gripping his wrist jerked Genji out of his rage induced stupor enough to bring some semblance of sense back to him. A partial, distorted shriek of anger though worked its way out of Genji at the loss of completion of the vengeance he wanted, lashing around viciously, kicking out as he was dragged back from the man.

“Genji, please!” the voice of Zenyatta pleaded, “Please calm yourself!” 

Genji snapped his head around, his eyes wide beneath his visor as he stared at Zenyatta. Part of him was infuriated that the omnic monk had dared to stop him in his administration of justice and the wicked desire to harm his teacher to get lose of the strong grip the omnic had on him to return to Bolgriv's moaning, bloody form remained deafening. A voice trapped deep beneath the boiling rage though was trembling, softly murmuring in fear at what he had nearly done with his bare hands. 

No better than that cyborg monstrosity Talon had created. 

Bolgriv lay moaning, not rising and his face barely discernible as a face anymore with all the blood and exposed bones of the savage beating. A choked sob rose up in Genji's throat, trembling as he shook his head, “He killed him. He killed him,” He murmured, “he's...he's...!”

 

“Shhhh Genji. Shhhh. There is still hope left. Still time to help our friend. Let go of this rage. He isn't worth the time,” Zenyatta murmured.

Genji shuddered before turning his head to see if Zenyatta spoke true. He spottedMercy, the medicl already next to Reaper, the mercenary having been moved onto his side, wheezing and shuddering. Despite the movements and apparent breathing though, he was still more or less unresponsive to the medic's questions. The others spread out securing the perimeter as best they could as the Talon troops took cover in the woods. 

The omnic monk kept his hold tight on Genji as the cyborg shuddered, looking away as his body went limp. Neither of them spoke as Morrison, McCree, Reinhardt and Winston pressed forward, keeping up a defense as Tracer rushed to get the past vestiges of supplies on the ship, “Genji, I know you are upset, but we must keep our vision clear. This is not the time to give in to hate,”

“Genji, Zenyatta, I need help moving Reaper. He's showing vital signs a the very least still,” Mercy called out.

The cyborg let out a trembling sigh and gave a slight nod, “I am...fine master. I am fine,” He finally managed out.

The omnic let go and Genji took a deep shuddering breath as his shoulders popped, exhaling a hiss of steam. Without a word he moved to where Mercy was with Reaper, scooping up the form of the mercenary, wincing at how boneless he felt, as if his entire form was melted out into that wretched black mess already. Black smears were left on Genji's armored body as he turned to hurry towards the ship, Mercy on his heels, “Once we are in the labs, you are going to need to be decontaminated Genji. His readings are highly volatile. That black residue is literally dead viral nannites,”

Genji didn't respond, didn't even gave a nod he heard as he rushed into medical gently laying the twitching form of his lover on the berth. There was no twisted face in the hood, no writhing mass. Nothing but a black abyss in the hood that let out rattling chocked sounds as he curled up on his side. A wave of nausea washed over Genji as the sight reminded him of an insect curling up in death. Mercy rushed in with Zenyatta gesturing towards the far end of the lab and fixing Genji with a severe look, “Genji! Decontamination, now!”

“I can't leave him. He's dying isn't he? What if he dies if I go?” Genji whispered, shaking, staring at Mercy blankly covered in both blood and the black gore of Reaper's decaying body, “I can't leave him,”

Zenyatta moved to start pulling his student firmly along towards the chamber, ignoring the soft growls of protest as Genji fought the action, “You are not leaving him. You can still see him from the chamber and by the sound of things, he cannot speak. Leave this in Mercy's hands,”

Genji didn't answer. He couldn't even form the words to respond as he stared at where Reaper laid. Mercy was wearing a mask now and thicker gloves to protect her from the organic devouring biology of Reaper, starting to inject his body with syringes of chemicals while his vital signs wavered in and out. The beat of his heart was a keening flat line though, jerking back to life sporadically for a few seconds before going silent again.

“Come on Gabriel! Stay with me!” Mercy hissed, “Stay with me!”

The body shuddered as another deep wheezing gasp shuddered from within his body and his heart lept back to life for a brief moment again before flat lining. The legs of the mercenary were fading faster into the black muck, dripping hazardously off the table but Mercy didn't stop, starting now to give Reaper several shocks to get his heart going again.

The keen of the heart monitor bleeped again, the heart rate going through the roof but at least remaining stable. Genji just watched the whole horrific seen as the cleansing mist of the decontamination chamber engulfed him, scrubbing the traces of the once live virus off his metallic body. 

Mercy stepped back, her eyes crinkled in worry as she shook her head, “He is alive, I think. I'm not detecting any sort of brain activity though. Could possibly be in a coma and he is still rapidly deteriorating,”

Zenyatta shook his head, “His activity is fine I believe. It is simply fractured. I can still hear the omnic signals and chatter from the virus,”

Those word had Genji looking to his teacher as the decontamination finished, quickly stepping out to draw closer to the still shuddering form of Reaper, “What do you mean, master?” 

Mercy pursed her lips, shaking her head, “That can't be right. He hasn't been responsive to my questions. He still hasn't-”

“We can hear you,” 

The buzzing abnormal voice had all three looking down at Reaper's body, the head turned weakly towards them and two blazing red eyes staring at them unblinking in the blackness. Those orbs flickered though, barely able to be held together and done only as a courtesey to try and show lucidity. 

Zenyatta let out a soft sigh like a parent being prove right to children that had been arguing with them, “Like I had said before, there is still plenty of activity going on,”

“Reaper?” Genji asked.

The eyes shifted some as a slight nod of the head was given, “Genji,” The voice was that multi-toned hum but there was a sense of familiarity and a strange attempt at some indication of recognization although the action itself only caused hundreds of teeth to sprout out of Reaper's face at odd angles.

Mercy looked taken aback at the sudden change to his face, eyes wide as she beheld the shift, taking a step back. Reaper struggles to sit up, his entire form falling apart at the seams as he did so, black liquid dripping out of the clothing onto the berth, the one arm nothing more than a shifting bone connected with strings of the black liquid like pulsating rotting sinew. Genji quickly stepped forward to put a hand to his chest and ease Reaper back down. 

“Don't strain yourself. We are going to help you,” He murmured, trying to believe in his own words.

“We are reconstructing memories and state of being but there is not enough time. The host body is mostly useless,” the low voice hissed out, “Do we die now?”

“As Genji has stated, we are here to help you,” Zenyatta folded his hands in his lap as he regarded the mercenary, “But we need you to work with us to stabilize your form,”

There was silence, the face dissolving into a black mass again, one eye slowly opening to glance around at everyone in the room before a soft, “Okay,” escaped in a wheezing gnash of grinding metal. 

Zenyatta turned to Mercy and gave a slight nod, “I'll support you as I can in translating should his words start to slip. They are fading fast,”

Mercy returned the nod as she straightened her shoulders, “First things first, I need as many details as I can to the exact nature of what is failing,” she began, quickly moving to the small lab computer and loading up all data on the samples she had, “Status as well on all major internal systems,”

Reaper took a shuddering breath, a buzzing sound erupting as he twitched and as Genji watched, the fingers on one hand started to curl and disintegrate to black sludge, slopping down over the berth, “All internal systems are failing. All non-essential systems are being sacrificed to pull surviving cells into keeping heart and breathing going,” the body shuddered, “Keep the mind alive. Metabolic rate increased to triple the original output but this cannot be maintained. Too many cells have been lost to the cure before we cut off infected areas,” 

The medical officer gave a nod, biting her lip as she looked over readings and inputted the data given, “There is not much of the body left that is salvageable then. Is it possible you can convert to your wraith form? Pulling apart from the infected area to recuperate may keep your core in tact,” Mercy asked, glancing up briefly.

“We can but we will not be able to reform the body,” was the weakly murmured response, “Not enough mass,”

Zenyatta dipped his head some, “You could be carried though in another as a host, so to say, until a more permanent solution can be devised. As it is, maintaining your form with the cure still making its way through is more lethal,”

Reaper shuddered, turning his head away, “We are not certain,”

“It is the best solution for survival. It is working through you too fast. I need more time to get this right as there is only one shot to save you and stabilize you and it isn't a quick fix. Not something I can miraculously pull out under pressure. Containment in another vessel is best,” Mercy put in, “I can keep you in a-”

“No containers,” Was the growled response, “We do not want to be caged by you!”

The primitive AI of the virus seemed to share Reyes's general sentiments towards Mercy from how it was growling and shrinking back, more teeth forming in hideous mouths as if daring her to come closer. Helplessly, Mercy looked to Genji and Zenyatta, quietly begging for their assistance in getting some sort of compromise. 

Genji looked down at his decaying lover, gripping the edge of the berth tightly, “If he...took a host. It would be like he takes up residence temporarily inside the person? What if it was someone immune to the touch? They would act more as a vessel too,”

“I suppose it would be possible for an omnic to be a host vessel to keep Reaper's essence contained until we can see about developing some sort of solution,”

“I'll do it. I'm immune to his touch and-” Genji began only to be cut off sharply by a shake of Mercy's head. 

“You are immune to contact but this is something entirely different. Inside, so close to your vital biological, cybernized systems, it could cause mutation. It would be more than just a small sacrifice Genji, you could end up losing all that is left of your physical body!”

Genji gritted his teeth, opening his mouth to retort, to tell Mercy he was more than willing to give up all of that if it meant he could keep Reaper safe only to be stopped by Zenyatta's gentle touch to his shoulder, “I can handle this task. I will suffer no ill effects and can communicate between the entity and Mercy to work on a permanent solution,”

“I can't ask you to do this!” Genji protested only for Zenyatta to shake his head firmly. 

“Genji,” the monk began, “Let us work together to bare this burden. You are already carrying so much. Besides, if you try, I will personally knock you out,”

The statement took Genji aback some, staring at Zenyatta some as the omnic monk drew closer, leaning in and starting to emit a rather complicated array of noises that seemed to be understood by the nanites that comprised of Reaper's being. In a sudden burst, he reverted to wraith form, the action leaving behind a sudden mass of black ooze with half formed guns and other objects slopping around, oozing out onto the floor. The vapor swirled about Zenyatta for a few moments before starting to work its way into the tiny cracks, resting along the interior systems of the omnic and out of sight. 

Zenyatta tilted his head some, giving a small chuckle, “It tickles somewhat inside,”

“It won't take too much longer Mercy to help him?” Genji asked quietly as he looked over the dead mass of black, metallic tinged mess dripping now onto the floor in wet splats. 

“I am not sure but I will work day and night if I have to,” Mercy's eyes narrowed as determination blazed in those clear blue eyes, “Once we get set up in our new location, I'll be able to hopefully find the breakthrough we need,”

“In the meantime, I will keep my new roommate entertained and work on reassembling the pieces of his consciousness back into alignment,” Zenyatta put in, “It is a matter of finding the self in a mass of communications between millions of chattering voices. Some guidance is necessary,” 

Genji gave a small nod, gritting his teeth a bit as he looked away, “If either of you need any sort of help, please ask. I feel so...useless right now. Like I'm doing nothing to help,”

The omnic monk shook his head, reaching out to touch Genji's shoulder, “You are doing more than you think. I'll keep close and by proxy, Reaper will be close,”

It was a small comfort at the very least, but it did not replace having Reaper there in a more physical form. There would be no one to lay with tonight, wrapped up in a tangle of arms and waking up in the morning to a rather grouchy Reaper grumbling about the alarm. No watching Reaper slip into his clothing so meticulously, the mercenary going out of his way to do without his wraith trick because he knew Genji liked to watch. There would be no deadpan responses about Genji's suggestions for looking better with his clothes off..

He was going to be alone tonight.

Of course he could ask Zenyatta if he could share a room with him but it seemed more an invasion of privacy and it was sort of the strange feeling of having three people in one bed. Add to the fact sleeping with someone he saw as a mentor had all sort of strange connotations that some of a more Western pursuit may find strange, but then again, different cultures, different ideals Genji supposed. 

A sigh from Mercy jerked Genji from his gloomy thoughts, the medic pursing her lips as she shook her head, “Since we are discussing patients, Genji, your brother is one of the worse patients I've had to deal with. He refuses to stay in the medical bay and insisted on sitting on the bridge,”

“If you are asking for my help in wrangling him to bed, I'd have better luck trying to wrestle a tiger into a cage. I'm not in the mood to really try and use my charm to get him to comply either,” he murmured dully, eyes still on the mess on the floor.

“Perhaps a gentle reminder would suffice? Come,” Zenyatta gentle took Genji by the arm gentle tugging his student towards the door, “You need better air to help clear your mind of these grim thoughts,”

Genji shook his head, grumbling as he begrudgingly allowed Zenyatta to pull him along, “I don't think there is a place I could go to escape these thoughts, not with Reaper as...” he trailed off, closing his eyes tight.

“He is not dead and if anything, he is more than secure within my casings,” Zenyatta assured Genji, patting his chest, “And I'll be sure to assist him just as I assisted you and our mutual friend Mercy will be lending her aid as well,”

“I know all of that, master but still it is difficult. It is not an easy burden to bare,” Genji let out an exasperated sigh, “I did not know how many more steps I needed to take until I encountered Reaper and in trying to help him, I've found I've been in a way, helping myself. I feel so incomplete now after all this time, like I've lost pieces of myself. I've lost another piece in losing Reaper's support in my life,”

Zenyatta was quiet, giving a small nod of his head, the orbs about his neck flitting about some, “You wanted to be the teacher but instead found yourself something more than just an instructor and guide,”

“Maybe, maybe,” Genji looked ahead as they drew closer to the bridge of the ship, “Sometimes I wish I could handle shocks to my life as well as you do. What is your secret to bouncing back so quickly?”

That earned a soft laugh from Zenyatta, the monk shaking his head, “Ah, that is a secret, my friend, a lesson Mondatta taught me and his teacher taught him and those teachers before taught and passed down through ages. It is one that is not taught, but needs to be experienced,” 

“Cryptic as ever, aren't you master Zenyatta?” Genji murmured, giving a shake of his head as the door to the bridge opened before them.

“I've learned that in life, there is a measure of letting go, of acknowledging you made mistakes and working to rectify them in the future. It is the nature of hunger Genji, to desire. It is when we learn to let go of those desires that we can rise above our turmoils,” the monk folded his hands in his lap as they entered, looking about, “Ah, good to see everyone is well still. Any troubles?”

Winston looked up from where he had been sitting, giving a smile to the monk, “For now? Things are going as well as they can. We managed to get a large chunk of the supplies in thanks to you and Tracer and thanks to Hanzo, we have a new place to lie low and plan our defense of Santa Fe. Despite having to pull out quickly, things could have been more fatal for us,”

Genji noticed that the scientist had not mention the fact Reaper had one foot in the grave, the old hurt between those two still lingerd. A shiver of anger rose in Genji but he quickly pushed it aside. Now asn't the time to let his thoughts drive him to do foolish actions. Instead, he focused his attention across the room, looking to where his brother sat, laid back in a chair with McCree next to him smoking lazily, “ And where exactly are we going, anija?”

“The old family home,” Hanzo responded simply, “Not even the elders knew the location of our maternal ancestral home, well away from cities and the town nearby, self contained and the nearest village is of distant blood relations and loyalty. It will be safe enough to lie low and closer to Santa Fe than the former base,”

“But going to be tricky to land in the mountains,” Torbjörn muttered, “Unless what you said about the grounds is true and there is some open space,”

“Might be a bit overgrown,” Hanzo admitted, “I have not been there in many years,”

Genji swallowed hard as a lump seemed to form in his throat. He had thought about the place often in fond memories but he and not thought he would be going there so soon. Also with Hanzo's words about his own lack of visitation, it made Genji realize that the place be in worse condition then he remembered, perhaps even far less than what once was. Carefully he sunk into a chair, his legs feeling weak as he closed his eyes.

“Will it be...in good shape to live in?” Genji murmured.

“The well should still be fine and although I have not lived there, our old retainer's family still lives in the area. I left orders to make sure it was kept in good order. Enough to keep it from falling into complete ruin,” Hanzo responded, “Although there are many items there left after my departure from the clan that were never unpacked,” 

Those words only did little to sooth Genji but he couldn't summon the energy now to hide the uncertainty on his face or how broken he felt inside. That same tired feeling he had been feeling for so long, draining him completely. There was nothing to sooth those worries and stresses. Not a single point of good news other than he had a tentative step back towards a kinship once more with his estranged brother. He could meditate and seek out inner peace. He could believe in the words the others said that things would turn out.

It didn't change the fact what was left of Reaper was only vapor trying to put memories back in order and re-construct the scattered pieces of Gabriel's mind while most of his body lay a dead, oozing mess in Mercy's lab. The kind of personal comfort that was needed now seemed unobtainable. 

Going back to their ancestral home only served to add another level of emotional distress that was already ripping Genji further and further apart to the point he was wondering if he would ever feel whole again. Hanzo was watching him quietly before reaching out to hesitantly touch is brother's arm, “Your old things are there, from the manor. I didn't let them throw it all out like the elders wanted to,” he said softly.

Genji looked over at his brother, his expression a distant blank canvas although there was sliver of confusion that flitted through his eyes, “Why would you keep those things, and why would you tell me this?”

“It was all that I had left of you. To get rid of it would be like trying to erase you had existed and I tell you this because,” he paused before leaning in closer, his voice low, “Because Kintarō is there and despite the years, perhaps in that old sliver of our past could you take some comfort,”

Such a simple name was enough to have Genji tensing up and his heart clench tight. 

It had been a very long, long time since had heard that name outside the folk story the name had been taken from. The context Hanzo spoke of Kintarō made it clear of who and what he spoke of. 

“You kept him too?” Genji asked, his voice barely a whisper. 

“I kept everything but little sister, Hime. I made sure that little sock stealing pet of yours went to a good family,” Hanzo gave a slight smile, “For how annoying that ferret was, it seemed cruel to not make sure she was taken care of. She was adopted by a good family, a daughter of one of the bodyguards. She was absolute taken with Hime,”

Genji gave a soft laugh, covering his face with his hand,hunching over further, “I thought you would have just let her die,”

Hanzo put his hand comfortingly on Genji's back, shaking his head, “I had already killed one sibling. I had already wronged you terribly once, I wasn't going to repeat those mistakes,”

Hime had been taken care of. His things had been kept and not just thrown out. Despite Hanzo's distance, despite how they had started so far apart, the bond they had shared, that small tie between them had remained, holding fast like a single thread. 

It was roof enough that his brother still had cared beyond any earlier words shared or actions given. A simple gesture that had Genji wanting to curl up in himself and sob like he was a child again. Just like those old times when he had fled to find a place to hide though, Hanzo always found him again and sat with him, one arm about his shoulders, not saying anything.

It was always just enough to know Hanzo was there.

On Genji's other side, Zenyatta reached out to put his hand on the cyborg's leg, giving a small comforting pat, a gentle reminder that he too was there and Genji swore he felt a brush of something else and saw a small puff of black mist curl out fro mbetween Zenyatta's fingers against his leg. 

Not physically there, not entirely, but Reaper still offered his support.

Lifting his head slight, Genji took in the bridge and those on it from Tracer and Morrison quietly talking off to the side, the young woman brimming with excitement over something to where Winston quietly read looking more than ready to nod off. Even Reinhardt looked at peace, but then he was asleep, snoring loudly and occasionally shifting too far right to a point Torbjörn had to shove the German man back into his seat with a grunt or risk being crushed under the larger man. 

McCree was lounged back on the other side of Hanzo lost in his own thought but at feeling Genji's eyes on him, glanced over and offered a smile of encouragement.

There wasn't a single person there that had fallen to grief, not once despite everything that had happened. Some had lost their way, nearly given up, but together, after everything, after every near death and failure, they were still together. 

Like family.

“Anija?” Genji began quietly, looking to Hanzo as he raised a hand to put it over the one on his shoulder, “I've missed you,”

“I've missed you too, Otouto ,” 

Genji just smiled and allowed himself this moment, this one glimmer once again of the sun breaking the clouds like it had before. This one moment to hold onto and to put his faith in his family to get through this. Reaper wouldn't die, he was far too stubborn to give up. Mercy wouldn't give up, she was far too clever to not find a solution. Reinhardt would keep fighting, Morrison would keep them going, Tracer would sooner vanish then let the world fall to Talon, and Torbjörn wasn't going to rest until he had undone the wrong his ingenuity had wrought after falling into the wrong hands. 

Hope never died. Overwatch may have faded but the hope that had birthed it had not left the world. In that thought, there was some comfort to finally be found. Genji closed his eyes, not shutting down completely, but letting his mind slip away into his own thoughts, glad for the silent confort of his brother at his side. 

The time passed fast or perhaps the anxiety to see the old home had grown to great inside genji. Either way, the arrival at the old home was not met with fanfare or great grand gestures. Everyone was too tired for such things. The house still stood as it had in Genji's memory, a touch old and worn around the edges, the windows dark and with a lonely sort of look, but still the same.

The code for the front door hadn't changed all these years. A few flicks of the key and Genji was stepping into the old estate, looking around at the dark wooden beams and the scent of age the pervaded every corner. The air was musty and close but that was nothing that a little fresh air would not fix. Stepping through that door was like stepping backwards into an old life he had thought had been forgotten entirely in his quest for self-discover. The keen sense of nostalgia and hundreds of cherished memories filled him in that moment. 

He didn't wait for the others as they moved off the aircraft, lugging gear to bring inside at Hanzo's instructions. The elder Shimada was better at such organization and Genji had to see with his own eyes if his brother's words were true. 

His old room was at the far end of the estate and the door still held that creaking whine as it was rolled open. The room was filled with sealed container boxes all bearing his name on the side in Hanzo's messy handwriting. Nothing had been taken out and no decoration had been made to the room. There was an almost strange sadness to the sight, as if all this time the room had waited for its owner to return and open those containers and discover what was contained inside. In a daze, Genji moved to the nearest box, opening it with the care one would give to handling an ancient relic, curiously peering inside.

There were stacks of books in the first box, a mixture of old comic books and school textbooks Genji hadn't remember keeping but remembered clearly reading. A flick through an old math textbook still revealed all the little drawings and notes he had put in the margins through his final year of high school which brought recollection of old school friends who had since grown up and grown apart. He took out a stack of the books, setting them aside on the unused bed, the mattress having been stripped bare like the rest of the room. Digging through that first box only turned up more books and a few framed pictures.

Genji paused as he pulled forth a picture of his family. His father standing proud behind them, smiling serenely and at his side, the dour face of his mother, as always, never smiling and looking as grim as Hanzo did now. That brooding sense of gloom never seemed to ever dispel from around her no matter the ocassion. Beside her where their grandparents on their mothers side as well as his paternal grandmother, the woman looking half asleep in her wheelchair. The old woman had once been said to be a terror in her days, a female Shimada warrior without peer who's dragon could crack through heaven and earth with its piercing roar. Genji was still unsure if the legends were true as his memories of his grandmother were of a sleepy and sweet old woman who would pinch his cheeks and comment on how he wasn't fat enough to be a healthy little boy and then proceed to stuff him full of sweets. 

In front of the adult figures stood two smaller figures trying to look as mature as the others. The sight brougth a smile to Genji's lips as he traced his fingers over the two boys, himself and Hanzo, standing uncomfortably in formal dress. He couldn't help chuckling at how the two of them looked. Whereas Hanzo, age ten, stood rigidly and neat, Genji's own appearance looked wild, missing both front teeth and his hair sticking up, as unmanageable a mess as always. 

Carefully he put the picture on the nigth stand where it had always sat in the past. It had been the last picture of the family where his grandparents had been alive and for that, it held a special place still in his heart.

Genji moved to the next box, this one holding old pieces of clothing and he paused to clutch the bright orange scarf he used to wear. The cloth was still fresh although perhaps a little musty smelling. It was still something of his past that held more forgotten memories. Carefully he wrapped it around his neck and for a moment, practically buried his face in the article of clothing to take a deep breath of the familiar, still lingering scent of spice from the cologne he used to practically bath in.

He returned back to the boxes quickly though pulling more things out, digging through each one, unearthing not only more of his past, but more of himself. Here and there were small treasures hidden away that he had forgotten existed. Stupid drawings he had done when he had fancied himself a comic artist with his brother at age ten, the two of them inventing adventures for a samurai archer hero and poorly thought out love letters he had delivered to girls during high school were all stacked away, preserving a picture of a past and of a person he used to be.

This was the person Genji had kept so many negative ideas about but here, in this lost room, here he was seeing that younger him in a new light. Someone flawed but not all together terrible and not someone that needed to be erased.

That younger him had vanished, only had simply grown up. There was more than enough proof to show that who he was had been loved dearly. It was a reject piece of himself. In embracing his cyborg body, he had nearly rejected his past and what had made him who he was. Too focused on the immediate year of his death, he had not journeyed further to remind himself of what was worth keeping about himself. Genji set aside each discovered piece carefully. There was still one last box left to open and he had an idea of who was inside. 

Genji sat down on the edge of the bare mattress, hands trembling as he undid the latches of the last box. 

Within its confines, at last, he found Kintarō.

Kintarō was nothing more than a wolf plush wearing the faded uniform of a samurai, sticking its tongue out with an angry expression. The eyes had lost their shine and the fur of the toy had long since lost its luster, but it only showed how much the toy had been loved. 

The toy had been given to Hanzo by their mother when he was but a baby and then Hanzo had given it to Genji when Genji had turned three. His brother had woven an incredible tale of all of Kintarō's abilities and how the wolf could ride dragons into the Heavens and whisper things to the gods and goddesses up there to grant special wishes but only if the person who wished it said the special words and was very honest in their wish. That was the one thing Hanzo always insisted. Only someone who really wished for something with all their heart could get wishes.

As they had grown older, they had grown out of believing in all of their make believed worlds and of course, in a toy flying off to Heaven to grant wishes. 

Still though, in those harsh times during school, when the whole world felt overwhelming, in those rare moments where he wanted to give up, it was so much easier to put faith in asking an old toy for a wish for things to get better.

Genji carefully pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged, smoothing out the tuff of hair on Kintarō's head and settling the plush in his lap. Gently he ran a hand over the costume, a faint smile playing on his lips before pulling the toy into a close hug, closing his eyes, “You've gotten old, Kintarō, but perhaps, you have one last journey upwards?” 

There was no response but Hanzo had made up a story for why that was so in their youth as well. Kintarō never talked. He gave his voice to a passing songbird that had had its stolen by a demon. Kintarō was just kind like that, so Hanzo had always insisted to a wide-eyed Genji. In the late, far too dark nights of childhood fear, Hanzo had hidden with Genji in their blanket fort and they would always practice their secret words which would send Kintarō off to convey wishes to the Heavens through the fury in his eyes. Genji couldn't help the small smile as he leaned in as to whisper those strange secret words his brother and him had made up to beseech Kintarō to go ask for wishes. Those words were secrets only to them and still to this day, it would be kept that way. A single quiet wish to be carried away.

Genji set the toy back down in his lap, looking out over the mess he had created, findin a strange peace in seeing the torn apart boxes. 

It was a lot to unpack but he would take the time do so and put everything in place as the others recovered and set up tomorrow. The action of putting it all back together, the pieces of his life was something he had denied himself for so long. From his time in the monastary, he had clung so long to the idea of having to reinvent himself due to his new form but why build something new when what was old had been perfect  
.   
The Genji of the past never left and would never leave no matter how he would try to bury who he was under meditation and dogmatic views as had been his goals at the monetary. Who he was had been someone loved by his brother enough for Hanzo to take pains to preserve that part of Genji. 

The fact of it all, Genji realized, was here, in this room, coming back to this ancient home, he had found that part of who he was that had always been missing. 

He smiled as a sense of calm seemed to fall over him, replacing uncertainty and dread with memories and reminders of everything. Genji rose to his feet, casting a look around before setting Kintarō aside and leaving the room, taking his time to head towards the central room again where he heard the noises of the others moving about. Everyone would need time to get settled and Genji made a mental note to help Mercy get her area set up quickly in order to hasten work on find a way to help bring Reaper's full physical form back. 

Things would be lonely of course at times but here, there was family, both physical and in spirit, lingering in the doorways. Memories and the present starting to come together, falling into place.

He could hear McCree laughing loudly at something and the low thrum of Zenyatta's voice as he spoke up which seemed to only make McCree laugh louder. Reinhardt's voice boomed as the heavy thunks of containers being set down echoed down the hallways earning a yelp from Tracer. The sounds of his family being their usual selves despite the difficulties they had overcome. 

Perhaps he would speak with Zenyatta at length more about some of his lesson now that he had new parts of himself now to consider. Not to mention speak perhaps with Reaper in some way, just for the comfort of knowing the other had finally pulled his mind back together again. Maybe he could even offer some suggestions for how to find a permanent solution.

Hope would remain.

Hope and his new family of loved ones, platonic and romantic, would always be standing tall in the aftermath of whatever Talon could think to thrown.

Of that, Genji was completely certain.


	11. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for how long this chapter took! Really, it was just fighting me the whole time and it has been written and re-written more times than I would like to admit. It is a bridge chapter. Chapter 12 and 13 are already planned out and I know what to do. This one was bridging the gap and had to make sure it all meshed! 
> 
> I hope this chapter though keeps the quality train rolling ; w ;
> 
> As ever, here is a link to the sectionalized version: https://macabrecabra.tumblr.com/private/148942107071/tumblr_obwxxf4GHe1usxu17

Chapter Eleven: Alone 

Even after all the time that had passed, the sounds that came with morning had not changed at the manor. The familiar crow of a rooster echoed in the distance and the sounds of the morning birds outside were a familiar music to Genji as he slowly awakened. Blearly eyed, he lifted his head up from where he had face planted it into his pillow, squinting some at the sunlight that dared to enter gently through the window A small growling grumble escaped him and he rolled on his side away from the sunlight, clutching the wolf plush close. 

He had never been much of a morning person and all the stress of yesterday had taken its toll on his mind. There was nothing more he wanted to do but to curl up and sleep the day away like he used to do in his youth, or at least try to do. Hanzo had never been one to allow him the curtsey of sleeping in past noon. Still the noises outside persisted and his systems were already warming up and not about to go into cool down again anytime soon. Genji let out a frustrated groan as he groggily sat up, squinting at the clock some. He supposed eleven o'clock was as good a time as any to get up. Everyone else was probably up and about. Not to mention there was work to do and planning for their big showdown with Talon in Santa Fe.

A hundred things were going through his head as he rubbed sleep from his eyes shuffling down the hallway towards the kitchen area, surprised to find Mercy and Reinhardt having coffee, talking quietly with Jesse behind them, examining some of the painted portraits hanging on the wall. 

“I didn't expect the early birds to still be on coffee time,” Genji murmured, offering a sleepy smile as he shuffled past towards the kitchen, “Usually by eight you two were cleared out,”

“Genji! It is good to see you awake! This morning I think everyone slept in just a little,” Reinhardt greeted lifting his mug, “Did you rest well?”

“Sort of,” Genji murmured, “Stayed up a bit too late I suppose,” 

He looked over to where McCree was, the cowboy pausing in front of one of the oil paintings, blowing a low whistle, “Now that is a looker of a woman if I've ever seen one,” he declared, giving a wide grin to Genji, “May I inquire to who she is and if she is single?”

The cyborg looked up from where he was setting some water to boil for a small cup of tea before coming over beside McCree to look at the painting of a tall woman, draped over a couch and wearing a long kimono of a dark blue color, her long black hair kept in a braid cascading down her back as she extended a hand to gentle touch the underside of a flower. Genji almost burst out laughing but managed to keep a straight face as he looked over to McCree.

“That is my mother,” Genji drawled, crossing his arms, “ and she is not available on account she passed away some years ago,” 

McCree blinked, looking between Genji and the painting, a slight flush rising to his cheeks as he pulled his hat down, “Well, explains why she looks familiar. I thought she looked like your brother and thought she was a sister or something but, uh, yeah, this is mighty awkward now. At least we know where Hanzo gets his good looks,”

The cyborg arched an amused eyebrow at McCree's comment, all but ready to ask him what he meant by that only for Mercy to speak up then as she looked at the picture, “She looks rather sad,”

“My mother did not smile much and even then, she only smiled around Hanzo,” Genji looked at the painting, feeling that old hurt of his youth, “Hanzo was without a doubt her favorite child. I was the child she was always trying to forget,”

He had never understood why. He had never been a bad child. He had had good grades and done everything to try and please her. He had always bought gifts he knew she would like only for her to always turn them down with a small comment and disinterest. Hanzo could do no wrong in her eyes and Genji was everything that was the definition of wrong.

His shoulders slumped some as he turned away, although he tried to cover up the dip in his mood, “So what are the plans for today? We gathering to try and figure out how to save Santa Fe?”

Mercy pursed her lips thoughtfully as Genji returned to the water, picking up a mug from the cupboard and picking up a packet of barley tea. He tried to avoid those teas brimming with caffeeine like green tea if only for the fact that never tended to end well. Barely teas though were of a rich taste and had been something Hanzo had always been partial to in the morning.

“Hopefully. One of the many things to do today,” Mercy let out a sigh, “I've asked Winston to help with rebuilding Reaper's body. If we can implant a modified virus that is resistant to the cure, could start to resurrect the cells fully again. Then will have to work with the AI to reconstruct things to the parameters of Gabriel's last medical records,” 

Reinhardt shook his head, chuckling, “All of that is completely over my head. Truly you and Winston are marvels to discuss such things casually!”

Mercy gave a slight shy smile at the praise, “Well, it is a rather complex case but Winston feels we should try making contact with the AI, figure out its motivations and how exactly it became sentient. Not to mention, we need information about Talon if we are going to plan a successful offensive,”

“Once we get to Santa Fe, I can tap into my old haunts and connections for some information,” McCree put in, “Even got a place in mind to use as a starting off location, well, if I don't get my ass shot off the property first,” 

The cowboy grimaced some, his expression a bit guilty as he looked over to the others, “My uncle hasn't seen me in a long time. He might be downright ornery to see my sorry ass slinking in,” 

“I'm sure he will be happy to see you after a heartfelt apology,” Reinhardt offered with a smile, “It will be interesting though to see your family!”

“Interesting is one way to put it I suppose,” McCree mumbled, shaking his head.

“So get to Santa Fe and then what? Just hope we get lucky?” Genji asked, cocking his head to the side as he poured some of the now boiling water into his mug.

Reinhardt gave a shrug, “Morrison seems to have some semblance of a starting point at least. We will have to see at the meeting this evening. For now, the orders are more to rest, relax and get our heads on straight,”

“Easier said than done,” Genji sighed before moving to the doorway, his mug of tea in hand, “Have you seen Zenyatta of late?”

“Meditating in the garden with the black cloud of death that use to be Reaper,” McCree indicated with a jerk of his thumb.

Genji tensed some at how McCree referred to what was left of Reaper but didn't say a word. Now was not the time to start fights and honestly McCree probably hadn't meant anything by it. Still it was a comment that hit a little too close to an obvious sore spot. Genji simply gave a nod and left for the company of his dearest friend and companion. 

The omnic monk was right where McCree said he would be, hovering slightly near the old koi pond, long since empty of fish and filled with only rainwater and choking weeds. Carefully Genji sat down beside him, cupping his mug of tea in both hands, “Am I disturbing you master?”

“Not at all Genji,” Zenyatta replied, turning his head to regard his student, “Your gardens are lovely. The overgrown look actually gives it a more peaceful feeling. A wild sort of peace even, as if alone in the wilderness,”

“Maybe a little weeding and a bit of trimming here and there might be needed though,” Genji remarked, “Trust me, they were far more beautiful and elegant when someone was here to care for them,”

Zenyatta chuckled, “Maybe so,” he paused to reach over and touch Genji's leg gently, “Are you doing better? Yesterday was rather trying for you. I was worried about you when-”

“I am fine,” Genji interrupted quickly, “You stopped me before I...did anything too terrible,”

The cyborg closed his eyes briefly. He had nearly beat a man to death with his bare hands like some sort of maniac. There was no doubt in his mind that Bolgriv would suffer terrible scars and maybe some more permanent damage from what hits were landed. Still, he had beaten in almost his entire head in, nearly smashing it to a bloody pulp against the stone.

Genji took a deep, steadying breath, pushing that out of his mind, “How is Reaper doing?”

“Quiet to be honest. Does not like to speak about things. I assume though he is working on his own to put things together. Very prideful I must say,” The monk commented, tilting his head.

“He is and he tends not to trust too easily,” that was not unexpected really. Reaper was not one to open up much and with the AI being more active, Genji didn't know what would change or not change in his behavior.

“Do not lose hope. I'm sure things will work out,” Zenyatta assured, giving a nod, “I personally have not given up hope on retrieving my orbs. After speaking with Winston, we both believe Talon might have retrieved them which means we could recover them once they are located. Until then, Torbjörn says he is working on a new set to use in the meantime,” 

Genji blinked some before dipping his head in slight guilt and embarrassment, “I'm sorry master. I hadn't thought about-”

Zenyatta waved a hand with a shake of his head, “Getting us out was more important. Really the orbs are more... sentimental value. They were a gift from Mondatta when I left the monastery some time ago,”

“Then we will have to get them back. I know you two were rather close friends, despite your differences of opinions,” Genji glanced to the omnic.

“He was my teacher and my friend,”Zenyatta looked down at the hands folded in his lap, “And so much more although it is difficult to explain the exact nature of what we had. Different in opinions yes, but he was always intrigued by what I had to say. My greatest critic and a gentle sense of humor,”

Zenyatta let out a soft, almost sound sounding laugh, “Sometimes I am reminded of him so much with being in this group. I feel like he would have really enjoyed meeting everyone here,”

“Do you miss him?” Genji asked quietly.

Zenyatta didn't respond at first, looking up to gaze at the wild gardens. The sound of a few bird songs and the gentle clink of old wind chimes that still hung in parts of the garden filled the air, only adding to the peaceful, lazy feel of the place. In the distant, the laughter of Reinhardt could be heard, no doubt amused by something said. There was also the gentle hum of machinery from somewhere in the manor that barely reached the tranquility of the garden which meant Winston was probably already hard at work. A few petals of the late blooming flowers fluttered in the soft breeze working its way across the ground as the lights on Zenyatta's face dimmed some. He dropped his gaze back down to his lap.

“I do,” Zenyatta began softly at length, “But at the same time, I know he is not truly gone. He has never left me entirely. It is complicated and has to deal with,” the monk trailed off softly, lifting his head to look silently at the sky, “it has to deal with a final lesson he imparted on me before he went to King's Cross and to his death. I would rather not share that last discussion we had. It was both enlightening and the weakest point of my devotions to the faith,”

Genji didn't pry. It was clear saying that much had taken a lot of effort to put to words for the monk. Zenyatta was open about most things, eager to speak and help others but when it came to others helping him, he could brush things off as he was fine more easily behind a good mood. It was always harder to tell when the omnic was having his own difficulties. Mondatta's death though seemed to still weigh so very heavily on his teacher though.

“I'm sure we will retrieve your original orbs. After this business in Santa Fe is settled, I will personally see to it that it becomes a priority. We are all family. I am sure everyone will be in agreement,” Genji reached over to touch Zenyatta's shoulder, smiling, “I promise,” 

“Thank you Genji. That means more than you think to me,” The monk's voice had an appreciative lift to it that brought a small smile to Genji's own lips.

The two sat in comfortable silence then, both falling int their routine of meditation. The gardens were full of nostalgia for Genji, only good memories lingered here of hiding before dinner with stolen desserts, Hanzo and him muffling their laughter so as not to be found by the irritated chef. There were also memories of their father, standing with him as he grasped a wooden sword, showing Genji how to fight, the two engaging in silly little fights that always with his father pretending to die, dropping to the ground laughing. Everytime Genji remembered running to him, alarmed he had actually killed his father, apologizing the entire time. Those memories flowed into other ones of Hanzo, quietly sitting and painting the gardens while their mother watched, complimenting Hanzo on his talents, Genji sitting beside them, just happy to see his brother bringing landscapes to life, showing a talent that didn't just pertain to violence. All these memories and more lingered warmly in this place. 

Still despite those warm memories, there was a tinge of something else, a sense of loss that grew with the weeds. The present was not filled with too many good memories and not as hopeful as it could be. There was so much to do and yet at the moment, nothing that could be done. Everything was sitting on the edge of a knife and there seemed to be no way to proceed further. Genji slouched forward some, folding his hands in his lap,drawing his knees up more towards his chest, “I wish there was something I could do. Sitting here a waste of time. There seems no way I could really help Reaper, not now,”

“Well, perhaps you could ask Mercy or Winston if they need assistance?” Zenyatta suggested, looking towards Genji, “Maybe they need a helping hand?”

“To be honest? I don't think they are in any real hurry to help Reaper, at least, Winston I know is not in any real hurry. He doesn't trust Reaper,” Genji heaved a sigh, “There must be some other way. Bolgriv probably had something at his labs or maybe Talon has some sort of fix. Reaper wouldn't work with them for no reason. Wouldn't work with them for shared ideas at least so there had to be something they were offering that he needed,”

Zenyatta gave a small nod, “I suppose so. It seems like a logical theory,” the monk murmured, “But I do not know him personally nor know his usual methods. I believe someone like McCree or Jack Morrison would be better to ask,”

Genji let out another sigh, “Well, I mean, he isn't the same person. He isn't who he was years ago. For one thing, he does have that AI,”

“I wouldn't see the AI and Gabriel Reyes as entirely two different entities. They are more or less of the same opinions and ideas from what I can tell. Just the former has, shall we say, much stronger opinions about things that threaten their shared survival,” Zenyatta titled his head some, “I would honestly say that this division was, in of itself, a method of survival. It is an adaptation, like much of his biology seems to reflect. If that is true, it makes me fear Talon may have tried something on him that required a split mind,”

The cyborg gave a slight nod, frowning as he looked away, “Still, I feel like if anyone would have more data on Reaper and his condition, it would be his employers. I doubt Talon just let him wander around their base without him offering up some form of study. His ability would be of interest to them. Perhaps they did it without him even knowing,”

Genji was more than aware that Zenyatta was watching him quietly, almost as if the monk could sense exactly what was going through his mind. Things were going slow and to stop Talon, they needed everyone they could to help them. Trusted or not, they needed Reaper.

He needed Reaper. 

And if Talon had all the answers to what their next plot was going to be or even how to help Reaper, then Genji already knew what he had to do now. 

He rose to his feet slowly, giving a small bow to Zenyatta, “Thank you for your company and your advice. I think I will go ask Winston and Mercy if they need help,” 

“I see,” Zenyatta murmured, “I think I will come by later to see you then. To make sure you are doing well,”

“Please do,” Genji gave a smile before quickly turning on his heels to swiftly stride off.

He had no intention though of speaking to Winston and Mercy, not yet. Instead, he quickly headed back to his room, already hatching a rather risky scheme but then, he had always been a tad on the impulsive side. Hanzo had always been the one to take things slow and consider the angles. Genji had been more the one to make things as he went. 

Entering his room again, Genji picked up his phone, quickly punching in a number as he took a seat. His heart was hammering in his chest as he listened to the number ring once. Twice. Three times-

“Who is this?” 

Genji smiled some, lowering his voice as he spoke, “Hello Widowmaker. Just, you know, Reaper's boyfriend calling. Would have used his phone but not sure where it is right now. Probably in the sludge that is left of him,” 

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line, “Well, that explains where you got the number then. I take it you had it memorized?”

“A photographic memory was one of those perks that comes with being half cybernized and don't bother trying to trace the call. Its encrypted. It was common place to keep encryptions on phones in my clan, especially for making ransom calls, but that's not what I'm calling about,” Genji leaned back on his bed some, tilting his head back, “I need a favor from you,”

“A favor?” Widowmaker asked, her tone incredulous, “My, my is this become a strange phone call. I should really just hang up right now,”

“Reaper's been critically injured, nearly dead,” Genji closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, “I need to break into a Talon facility and data mine anything they have on Reaper, anything at all that can be used to help him,”

Widowmaker gave a soft sigh, “This is more than a favor Genji. I am with Talon. I am part of Talon. I am going to be required to report this,” She murmured, “I can't help you, not without putting your sorry ass in danger and by doing that, Reaper will not be too happy with me,”

“I'm prepare for any backlash this might cause. I need to do this,” Genji gritted his teeth some, fighting to keep his composure, “Please. I just need something,” 

There was another frustrated sigh from the other side of the line followed by a long pause of silence. Genji stared at the wall, clenching his hands some. If this didn't work, he would probably be forced to try and get something out of Athena as to the location of a Talon base. Then from there, he would be probably be putting everyone on high alert with this barely hatched scheme of his. 

One way or another though, Genji wasn't going to give up on this plan. They needed Reaper back and they needed intelligence on Talon. It was two birds with one stone even if it was risky and if anyone could pull of a solo infiltration, he knew it was him.

“I can get you in, Genji. I will have to report this though,” Widowmaker said quietly, “But, I can wait until you are out to do so but that is the most I can offer. I can meet you and take you to the Talon base,”

“Just show me where it is and I can get in my own way. You might be helping, but the less you know, the better I can work,” Genji murmured, “I know I can't trust you completely,”

Widowmaker laughed, “Well then! Clearly you aren't as suicidal as I thought. But I'm just afraid I'm not allow to share that over the phone. We meet in person and I'll point out where you need to go. No tricks, I assure you. So, where shall we meet?”

Genji paused, frowning for a moment before glancing towards the door, “Anything of Talon in the Tokyo region?”

“Right in the middle of the city in fact,” Widowmaker answered, “A bit of a drive for me. Picking it for a taste of home?”

“You could say that,” Genji rose to his feet, “How long will it take?”

“From Australia to Tokyo? Oh a few hours. I'll meet you at the Tokyo Tower, just at the base. Keep your phone handy in case need to call and see where you are,” Widowmaker murmured, “Three hours. If you aren't there, don't bother calling for a redo,”

Genji nodded, “Its a date them. See you then,” 

He quickly hung up and made sure to erase the call from the memory of his phone, glancing to the door. Some part of him was screaming he was out of his mind. Completely out of his mind and trying to justify it as the right thing to do.

A sigh escaped the younger Shimada before he quickly moved about his old room, throwing a few of his old clothes into a worn duffle bag which he slung over his shoulder. He took a deep breath before slowly creaking the door open and peering out. There wasn't a soul in the hallway at least although Genji could hear murmurs of conversation down the hallway to the right. Silently the ninja crept out, heading in the opposite direction, making his way towards where the aircraft was parked.

He really hoped Torbjörn didn't mind too much that he was going to borrow it for a quick joy ride on a quick road trip to Tokyo for the day. In fact, he hoped everyone didn't mind he was taking this risky road trip. 

Genji exited the manor, crossing the grass, grip tightening on the bag as he approached, feeling his nerves grow. He nearly jumped out of his skin when McCree sat up from just below, arching an eyebrow, a cigar held loosely between his fingers, “Genji? What brings you out here?”

“I should be asking you the same,” Genji deflected, tilting his head.

The cowboy let out a sigh, “Zenyatta suggested someone should watch the craft and I got the short stick. Don't know why though but guess he and Jack agreed it should be watched, just in case which brings me to my question again. What are you doing out here?”

Genji stepped closer, letting out a sigh as he looked away, eyes narrowing some, “Just out here to apologize to you,” he murmured.

“Apologize? For what exactly?” McCree asked, lifting his cigar to take a long draw from the end of it.

The answer to McCree's question came in a sudden sharp strike to his temple the cowboy's eyes widen before he began to fall back, eyes rolling up. Genji caught the man before he hit the ground, quickly dragging him safely to the side and under a tree. It was easy enough to prop the cowboy up against the base of the tree and slide his hat down over his eyes to give him the appearance of sleeping.

“Apologizing for that,” Genji mumbled, “I promise I will buy you your next whole packet of cigars for this,” 

With a final apologetic bow to McCree, Genji dashed off, entering into the ship and onto the bridge, dropping the duffle in a seat before going to the navigation. Really it didn't take too much to program in a course and getting a destination inputted. After all, these jets were made to be made that they didn't require a pilot unless you were going off the autopilot in order to allow any strike team to get moving without having to worry about losing the person who could drive. 

The ship rose, the noise more than enough to get everyone rushing out, gawking as it rose. Genji just sat back, reaching up to tap off his communication. The less any of them knew, the better the success of his mission. After all, a ninja had to work in secret, with few details, and completely under the radar. Of course he felt a sting of guilt but at the end of the day, this was his mission and he could carry it out alone.

Less people to be loss if something did go wrong with his gamble. 

The ride passed by quickly but it gave Genji enough time to get ready for the next phase. As a cyborg, he would always stand out and the less people that noticed him, the better his chances which was why he had bothered to bring a few things to craft himself a disguise. His old clothes still fit despite his new body, baggy in some places now and tighter in the shoulders, but nothing that looked completely out of sorts. A sweatshirt, a pair of lose pants and his old boots that he used to wear when out to the clubs all were able to be slipped on, covering up most of his obviously robotic characteristicss. 

He removed his mask for now, stashing it in a duffle bag with his weaponry before pulling on one of the cloth masks worn more commonly in the polluted cities to help protect from smog. In a city like Tokyo, wearing such a mask wouldn't be out of place and given his haggard appearance, the constant bags under his eyes and scars, most would think him ill and wearing the mask to keep his germs to himself.

Far less suspicious at the very least.

A few slits cut in the hood of the sweatshirt and it was easy to pull up over his helmet, the ends poking out, obviously metal, but in a city like Tokyo where the cyberpunk look was all the rage, he would more or less blend in even with that bit of his cyborg nature poking out. All in all, it was a rather basic disguise, but it was not like he was going to be spending more than a few hours in Tokyo at the most. He needed to get in and out and back to base. Then it would be a whole lot of begging for forgiveness but it was easier to do that than to ask permission at all. The ninja let out a sigh. He could do this.

He might have the skills to be a hero, but at heart, he was trained to be an agent of espionage. 

Genji had chosen a spot well outside the city limits to land the ship and from there, made his way to the bus lines into the city proper. No one asked about a bag on the bus at least and there would be no worries about having to put a bag containing swords and shurikens through an x-ray machine and trying to explain why he was heavily armed. It felt strange though being dressed more like a civilian and getting only a few glances his way and the only person to stare was some wide-eyed toddler. 

The ride to Tokyo tower was longer than he thought, having to switch buses several times to get to the landmark indicated as the meeting point. The place was filled with tourists, of course, as well as many locals of all walks of life. It made Genji smile a bit to see how many “rebellious young teenagers” there were with dyed hair and clothing, as if it made them stand out in the crowd. Really they weren't as non-conforming as they thought and Genji almost laughed at how at one point, he had thought himself such a special little butterfly for his rebellion. Maybe he was starting to get older though, being able to see all that now.

He didn't however see Widowmaker, meaning he had most likely arrived first. He wasn't too concerned though. He wasn't an easy target to hit and dressed as he was, he wasn't sticking out like a sore thumb for a sniper strike. Still, he settled himself at point where he had a good vantage of the crowd, setting in to wait for her. 

Just as soon as he was settled, wedged between two food stalls, he caught sight of a familiar figure in the crowd. With her pale purple skin, Widowmaker stood out even when dressed in civilian clothes. Even those though were of a high end fashion, rather showy and making her look a high class woman of means, not a deadly mercenary. Still, she was looking around, taking out her phone and clearly looking for him. Genji gave a grin, pulling his hood forward more before darting out and coming up behind Widowmaker, smirking.

“Looking for someone?” He asked casually, taking some satisfaction in seeing the sniper jump about a foot in the air turning to regard him.

She flicked her sunglasses down some, frowning as she eyed Genji, “I can see why Reaper likes you,” She drawled, “You have the same habit of sneaking up on people,”

“Part of my charm,” Genji gave a shrug, “But speaking of Reaper,” his eyes narrowed, “Where is the Talon base and will I be able to get the information I want from the one here?”

Widowmaker glanced around before gesturing Genji to follow her, “Walk with me,” she murmured.

He gave a nod, following her. The two of them moved into the crowd, keeping a good number of people around them and looking more a casual couple in the sea of people to anyone that might be watching, “Three blocks from here, there is an office building for Tengu Tech. It's a cover though. The basement floors are dedicated to research of some sort that Talon is conducting in weaponry. In there, just find a terminal in one of the main labs. They are all linked. You should be able to find the files you want,” She murmured, “I'm reporting this though. You've got an hour from when we part ways,”

Genji gave a nod, glancing to the woman, “Thank you by the way for this,”

“Don't thank me,” Widowmaker's voice became quiet with those words, a strange vacant look rising to her eyes, “Don't thank me for this. Reaper would wring my neck if he found out I did this for you,”

“He is going to wring my neck too,” Genji offered, looking to the sniper, frowning just a touch at the look in her expression, “I'll be out before you raise the alarm. I'll be fine,”

“I only hope that could be true,” Widowmaker murmured, looking away, “It is heavily guarded. I trust you can find a way in though?”

“I have a skill for getting into places I shouldn't be,” Genji tilted his head, “I owe you big, Widowmaker,”

She shook her head, pushing up her sunglasses, “Again, you owe me nothing,” She turned her head, letting out a sigh before gesturing to a building off to the left, “By the way? That's your target,”

Genji followed her gestures, eyeing the building with a critical eye. If Widowmaker's words could be trusted, the labs would be in the basement floors meaning most security would be on the ground level and no doubt a few false elevators for those people who were working in the offices in the building proper. He looked to the building next to it, his eyes going to a fire escape attached to it.

“Still going to thank you. If you are to be trusted,” Genji side-eyed her, “I know you are still with Talon. I only contacted you because Reaper and you seem to be friends and it was a rather desperate situation to begin with,”

“We are,” Widowmaker gave a shrug, her gaze fixed on the ground, “He's the only one that....the only one that believed my story,”

The sniper's words trailed off but she shook her head again, straightening her shoulders, “Good luck then. I'm going shopping and I'll be back in an hour. That's all you've got and I can't help you further. Understood?”

Genji gave a nod, “I hope you find some good sales then,” 

His eyes narrowed in a smile before he turned, dashing off, his mind already figuring out what he needed to do to pull this heist off. It didn't take much to get up the fire escape with his enhanced reflexes and the cameras were easy enough to see and get into their blind spot on the ascent. In a few moments he was in one of the upper floor offices, opening up his bag to quickly stash away his civilian clothes again and arming himself. He cast a look around the room before sliding on his mask and hooking the bag back over his shoulder.

The work though, had only begun. 

The upper floors were easy enough to navigate and it was almost too easy to get into the maintenance stairwell and from there, into the elevator shaft. This late at night, there was no movement in the elevators and who even knew if the elevator themselves went any further down than the numbers listed within. 

Besides, it was far more easier to slide down the cables, his synthetic hands not suffering any ill effect from the rapid descent. The further down he went though, the workings of the elevator began to change, becoming more reinforced as if for an elevator that was to carry heavier weight than just people, not to mention it all looked newer as if just put in within the last few years. All signs that he was near to his destination. He slid to a hault in the shaft, his visor switching to night vision mode as he looked about, quickly spotting a vent. A single leap carried him to the wall, metal fingers quickly grasping onto areas of the wall to hold on.

The ventilation was easy enough to break into from the shaft and wide enough he could do a rather effective army crawl along his stomach, keeping as quiet as possible as he moved. The facility was active still, the sound of voices echoing up from grates he passed and there were a few active labs filled with workers as well, pouring over some sort of weaponry. A few guards on patrol in the hallways and some scientists that were part of the staff seemed to be the only people on duty though. There were no large groups of individuals to be concerned with at lesat . All of no consequence for now. 

The real goal was a vent that opened into a larger room with a variety of equipment huming and a single scientist, idly working away on a computer, inputting data of some sort. Nothing about them was too remarkable and they looked like the typical lab flunky. Far too easy to sneak up on them as well and with no on else in sight, the perfect area to strike without raising alarms. Genji was pretty sure he could have made a pot of tea behind the poor soul and they wouldn't have noticed a thing even. The attention to their work was commendable at least. 

Their attention though was pulled quickly from their work and fixed oupon Genji though when the cool touch of his blade pressed up against their neck with dangerous intent, “Now, we can do this two ways. Either you get me what I want or you don't and I'm forced to use force,” the cyborg hissed against the scientist's ear, “What is your choice,”

There was pure fear in the eyes of the scientist, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of their face as they stood trembling before closing their eyes, shaking their head a little,” I... I won't do it! I won't tell you a-a-anything!” They managed out.

“A pity,” Genji sighed before bringing a hand up to strike them hard against the temple, knocking them out, “Would have allowed things to go quicker,”

He turned his attention to the computer, eyes narrowing. He was by no means a computer expert, but with a system like this being used by many different experts in different fields, the format of the system was more streamlined to be easily accessed. That was a small fact Genji had learned in his youth. All a well-trained espionage agent needed was a few backdoor methods to breaking in and could get into most systems used by larger organizations. Talon, it seemed, was really no different.

Medical files were easy enough to find and as he had suspected, there was a rather large file on Reaper. Genji paused to bring a hand up to his left wrist, the panel clicking and sliding back to reveal a series of nods. He carefully pulled one free, plugging it into the USB port of the console. One perk f being mechanical was more or less being able to use oneself as a portable flash drive for data. Just one less thing to bring. He had Reaper's file downloaded in a few seconds.

Genji turned his head back to the screen, moving to start typing away, looking for any information about the harpy disruptor.

The information for that was a bit harder to lift and under more difficult encryption, but what little could be gleamed was that there was some sort of stabilization problem but it was being ignored under the advice of one of the higher ups in Talon. The name was not given, simply a strange codename of “Dark Iris” was attached to a lot of the discussion concerning the device as well as some operation taking place in Australia. 

Something about that codename though sent a shiver of unease through Genji. There was a familarity to it as if he had heard it mentioned before. Now though wasn't the time to dwell on that, not when the clock was ticking until the alarm was tripped by Widowmaker. He only had half an hour left to work.

There wouldn't be enough time to take entire databases nor to download roster lists. Encryption aside, it was too massive an amount of data to move around. Not to mention, even he had a limit to how much he could carry in his systems. 

This would hopefully be enough to help give them more a look into what Talon was planning with the Harpy disruptor in Santa Fe.

“I take it you found everything you needed then?”

Genji froze, only turning his head some to look over his shoulder as a figure entered the room, their steps uncomfortably silent and light. He didn't say a word as the figure let out a sigh and continued to speak, tilting their head, “I do hope you didn't kill Taki? He was a tolerable human at the very least,”

Genji turned around slowly, not making any sudden movements as he eyed the figure, quickly seeing they were an omnic. The build though was familiar in a way that made any sense of warmth in Genji's body seem to leave.

The posture was precise and upright with the usual almost smile design of of the head, although the light pattern on the forehead seemed one that was more common of the Shambali monks. In particular, it seemed to be very familiar to Mondatta's own design although this particular omnic had a dark steel coloration and design. They wore only a single scrap of cloth about their waist, some sort of crude tabard but despite that, carried themselves with the dignity of a king,hands clasped behind their back,completely unafraid of the intruder before them.

“Quiet are we?” they asked, their deep, yet almost soothing voice was filled with amusement, “A pity. I think I would have liked to trade a few words with the great Genji Shimada,”

“Who are you and how do you know who I am?” Genji asked, one hand rising to the pommel of his sword. 

The omnic paused, tilting his head, “I am a friend, if you would believe that. Someone who is more a friend than you know. After all,I did not trip the alarms when I saw you busy at the console and as to how I know you? Well, news always travels far in certain small omnic communities,”

“Why not report me?” Genji kepth is eyes on the omnic, slowly stepping to the side, half circling this newcomer, not about to lower his guard for a second.

“Because my interests are my own and not entirely aligned with Talon. You'll find in most criminal organizations, the reasons for joining are personal and very few believe in the ideals,” The omnic chuckled, lifting a hand to touch his chest, “And I know for one, that you are here for a rather specific reason yes? You are here to save someone,s omeone close to you,” 

“I got what I needed,” Genji growled, “If you get in my way, I won't hesitate to offline you,”

The omnic laughed, “I know that is a lie! A student of Zenyatta's would not be one to take a life. That weak-willed, ignorant child has no concept of how the world works. He uses force as if his enemies care about mercy. Oh, he could have been something so much more than a human sympathizer,” they shook their head, ignoring the tension in Genji's shoulders or the grip of the cyborg tightening on his sword that was halfway drawn, “But no, if you strike me down, you lose all hope of restoring Reaper,”

That caused Genji to step back in alarm, eyes widening behind his visor although his expression was hidden by the mask he wore. The omnic simply chuckled, holding up one one hand to show a small vial of some sort of liquid, “You need this cure to jump start his nano processes. How do I know? Well, we shall simply call it the beauty of foresight. Those who bother to look into the iris beyond simply inner peace, into the depths of discord, can see the alignments of all things, the logic of the universe, and know the steps all things will take. The future is easy to predict for those who are truly enlightened,”

“The iris,” Genji's lowered his stance some, balancing more on the balls of his feet, “You are a monk of the Shambali?”

“Rather off topic aren't we?” The omnic gave an amused chuckle holding the vial up higher, “Don't you want to to take this cure back to save him?”

“I can't trust your words,” Genji growled, “I'm not a fool to think something is given for nothing, especially someone who seems far more dangerous than any typical Talon agent,”

The omnic chuckled, the lights on his forehead lighting up brighter and more along his body as well as he started to walk forward with a slight peculiar sway to his posture, holding out the vial again, “Maybe not but for this occasion, it is for nothing. I understand you, Genji. I understand what it means to be an outcast from your own kind, to be hated, to know that if you are to be yourself, it would disappoint others. I know what it is like to not have an identity to call my own, buried in the expectations of the world. I understand completely,”

His voice was so calm with a sincerity to it that had Genji lowering his weapon just slightly although he still watched warily, not taking his eyes off the omnic, “What would you know of that?”

“More than you can imagine. It hurts, doesn't it to have others avoid you? To hear their whispers and sneers behind your back. To look into a crowd and know everyone staring back at you sees only one thing, a monster,” The omnic continued in that soft, soothing voice, the lights seemed almost to be dancing now, pulsating and the colors changing subtly, “It hurts because you know this is how they see you and in time, you know it is what you will become. They have created your destiny and you wish to defy it. In time though, in the embrace of the dark iris, you will discover pleasures. Allow me to awaken your mind to your true thoughts and spirit,”

Something was wrong. A part of Genji's mind was screaming that as his eyes were fixed on the omnic, not looking away, transfixed as if something in that display of lights and movement demanded his entire attention. The cyborg wasn't even aware he wasn't blinking behind his visor or his hand had fallen away from the handle of his sword as his entire posture began to relax. There seemed to be a haze muffling everything except that calming voice that continued to speak and drown out all other thoughts like a soothing, hypnotic melody.

Genji's sluggish mind grumbled a quiet disagreement that was overshadowed by that trickle of doubt that had suddenly grown, starting to work its way deeper. Every horrid thought of anger he had in brief second of discouragement creeping up, howling, digging deeper, and latching on. The omnic stood in front of him, raising a hand to touch his forehead, “Let me impart your orders,” he whispered low.

Something was wrong. That small thought only existed for a moment before there was no other thought, a fog descending. There was a vague sense of someone speaking, whispering something that seemed to dig deep into his mind, imparting something there. A low thrum was pulsating in his ear and everything seemed to stand still. That voice speaking more.....and more.....and more.....and...

Genji jolted, blinking suddenly and taking a step back. The omnic stood in front of him, holding up the vial, tilting their head, “But I suppose my words are going in one ear and out the other?”

“Your words are lies,” Genji spat, taking another step back, confusion in his tone though. 

He didn't remember the omnic being that close or maybe he had been? One minute he wasn't and then in the blink of an eye he was. His brain lurched with a slight pain that made Genji wince and raise a hand to touch his head.

“If you want to believe that then go ahead, but,” The omnic held out the vial to Genji, “That doesn't change the fact I owe Reaper a small favor,”

Genji held out his hand to take the vial, carefully holding it but not taking his eyes off the enemy, “A favor? First you sounded like you were trying to convert me to some cause and now you say it is because you owe Reaper a favor?”

“Old habit. Old programming I'm still trying to cope with I suppose,” The omnic chuckled, shaking his head, “But no, I do owe Reaper a favor. He's really done a few things for me in the past I do appreciate,”

Genji curled his hand about the vial, not sure if he could trust it or not but carefully slipped it away into a carrying compartment in his forearm, “We will see if you speak truth or if I'll be back to kill you,”

“Of course but, right now? Genji? Shouldn't you be running right about now?” The omnic drawled. 

The alarm blared suddenly, causing Genji to step back, eyes wide. The hour was past. How long had he been standing there? The cyborg looked at the omnic, who just tilted their head, “Time to fly sparrow,”

The simple word seemed to shoot through Genji's mind and he found himself already moving back, before turning on his heels. The confusion in his mind was temporarily overridden by a need to get away, knowing the information he held was more important right now and the maybe cure he was carrying. 

Despite the alarm having gone off, Genji encountered no guards as he slipped into the vents, easily making it to the elevator shaft and from there, managing the long climb back up to his entry point with little difficulty. A part of his mind was screaming it was all too easy and the fog of confusion that still lingered, the inability to completely focus on what had transpired earlier was the real issue at hand. Another voice though was pushing it all aside, quietly pushing him towards keeping on the task which was to escape and report.

That was all that needed to be considered. 

He kept running, not bothering much with sneaking now as he crashed through a window, leaping out to grab onto the fire escape, quickly climbing to the top of the building. There were a few cries of surprise behind him and the ping of bullets around him, but in a few moments, he was out of range and onto the roof, springing across with inhuman speed, leaping the gap to the building beyond, focused on getting back to the ship and from there, back to base. 

Even then though, even as he drew closer to the ship, the sense of unease was growing, especially when he couldn't recall where he had gotten the vial nor what had happened. Every time he seemed to grasp onto some foggy idea of the past hour or two, there seemed to be a sharp pain that cut through like a bad migraine. Everything from when Widowmaker had shown him the building to the point he arrived at the ship seemed a complete blur.

Genji raised a hand to touch his head, gritting his teeth. There was...someone there. A voice....

Pain quickly flared in his mind and the cyborg cursed, shaking his head. It didn't matter now. He would ask Mercy about this as soon as he got the information delivered and this cure administrated. If anything, it was probably just the stress getting to him at last. He entered the ship and quickly entered the coordinates for home before sitting back, both hand rising to take off his mask. 

He rubbed his face tiredly, closing his eyes. 

The fog did not clear but Genji felt too tired to care. Perhaps he was simply stressed. Dealing with that omnic-

Genji's eyes flew open and he gripped his head, a sudden sharp pain cutting through his thoughts, banishing that slim bit of memory quickly. No one. There had been no one there. He had gotten the cure from Bolgriv. He had been there. Battered and bruised, but fine. That is who had given it. The memory slid into place over the fog. Genji let out a sigh, rubbing the side of his face, just behind the eyes lightly.

He was just tired and stressed. 

The ship touched down in little time at all and no sooner had Genji stepped off the ship then there was a gun in his face and McCree glaring at him. Behind him, he could see at the very least, Jack and Mercy looking one to pleased, “You better have an explanation for this joy ride, Genji!”

“I'm curious as well,”Jack growled, “Taking off without telling anyone and making us think you lost your mind,”

Genji raised his hand, rolling his eyes, “I did some reacon, raided a Talon base and came away with information we need, not to mention a cure of sorts to help Reaper,”

“That sounds rather convenient,” Genji glanced to the side where Mercy stood, her arms crossed, frowning some,”They just happened to have a cure laying around?”

“More like Bolgriv was there and he was polite enough to hand it over,” Genji drawled.

A sensation of pleasure seemed to creep over his mind as he told the story, as if a strange reward for relating what had happened even if the words didn't sound right to Genji. A part of him wanted to jus tshake his head and say....say something else. Like as if he knew the words were a lie and not what really occurred.

“Lucky again,” Mercy frowned but held her hand out, “I'll take a look at that before I administrate it though,”

Genji nodded, handing over the vial before turning towards Jack, giving a slight bow of the head, “I got access to some of their plans concerning this test in Santa Fe,”

“We will take al ook at it and see if we can get a better plan then,” Jack frowned,still looking suspicious.

McCree just growled, lowering his gun, “You could have told me what you were doing rather than knocking me out. Gave me a bloody headache, jackass,”

“I'll buy you cigars for the rest of the year!” Genji promised, following after Jack,”I promise!”

“You better!” The cowboy growled, falling into step behind Genji, “How did you even find out about a Talon base in Tokyo?”

“Reaper's phone,” The lie came out quickly as if something inside of him already knew what to say, “Mercenary information kept in it showed a few rendezvous points so I headed to the nearest one,”

Jack frowned, “Seems sort of sloppy for Gabriel to do that. He tends to cover his track, especially on his phone,”

McCree gave a shrug, “Maybe he got sloppy given he can make his phone vanish when not in use or something,”

“Maybe,” Jack though did not look convinced, Genji could tell that much. What was troubling Genji more though was the fact he hadn't planned to lie about how he had gotten to the base. He hadn't even thought up a lie having wanted to be somewhat honest about this whole venture. 

The unease flared up again as he stepped into the lab. Mercy was with Winston, the two already looking over the cure. Beside where they worked, Zenyatta looked up from where he had been sitting, folding his hands in the way that indicated he was a little miffed. 

“You did not see fit to tell even me about your idea?” the monk asked, his voice soft as if ready to scold a small child.

Genji raised his hands, “You suspected enough to get someone to guard the ship. I needed to do this alone an dI know you, master. You would have wanted to come along, just in case I needed help,”

“Of course. As things become more dangerous, we need to be watching each other's back,” Zenyatta paused, rising to his feet to approach Genji, “Are you feeling well?”

“Why do you ask? I feel fine. The whole affair was a quick in and out, tripped an alarm but no one caught me. Just Bolgriv and he remembered what happened last time he got in my way. There was no one else,” Genji answered, frowning some. 

But there had been someone else, that much he felt. Someone important. Someone he should tell Zenyatta about. A bigger threat. As soon as the thought crossed Genji's mind, it faded in a slight flit of pain, quickly forgotten. 

The monk gave a distracted nod, leaning in like he was trying to see something. He let out a soft sigh, shaking his head, “If you say you are fine, then I suppose you are. You seem... different though,”

Genji frowned, the comment causing a strange sense of dislike that didn't seem to belong to him to rise up. Angry words wanted to spill out, ones filled with sneers about how his mood of late didn't play into what Zenyatta thought was good or perfect so that made him not so familiar a student then? Easier to say he was just different because he hadn't been completely honest?

As quickly as those angry, venom spitting thoughts had risen, they were quickly pushed down as horror passed through Genji. Never in his life had he thought so ill of Zenyatta, his mentor and good friend. He had saved him from his own mind and shown him that the world wasn't so bleak and there was hope to find he had-

The sharp pain in Genji's mind caused him to wince some, a movement not missed by the monk.

“Genji?” he asked, putting a hand against the cyborg's shoulder.

“I'm fine just tired. Think I'm getting a migraine,” Genji murmured, closing his eyes, “Its nothing,”

Jack leaned against the wall, watching the exchange with a slight frown, eyes narrowed some, “I wouldn't say it is nothing. Have Mercy take a look at it. Who knows what you could have been exposed to,”

Mercy glanced up from her work briefly, “I agree with that. Talon has a lot of methods that you can't account for. In other news though, Winston and I can confirm that this is actually a cure. Unbelievable as it is,” she shook her head, “Why try to kill Reaper but have the cure?”

“Maybe make him desperate enough to come back to them?” McCree asked, “Seemsl ike something they would try,”

Genji too a seat next to the monitor, rubbing the side of his head with one hand as he extended the arm with the ports, “They can't be too happy about him being on our side. Maybe the headaches are because I downloaded too much data. Downloaded Reaper's medical files as well if that is something you want to poke around in,”

“It would be, yes,” Winston murmured, handing the cure to Mercy who was already moving around the container holding the sludge that had once been Reaper's body, “Might give us some look into his activities as well and maybe put some doubt to rest or confirm our fears,”

The gorilla scientist came over, carefully plugging Genji into the system, starting to upload the files Genji had stolen. The attention of the cyborg though was fixed across the room as Mercy slowly injected the cure into the sludge. His breath hitched, tensing up as he watched, praying to whatever deities above that may be listening.

For a moment, nothing happened before there was a lurch, the whole mass rippling and shaking as if something was crawling around inside. Parts of it started to disintegrate, surging and thrashing about on the table. Mercy quickly stepped back as what seemed like a hand started to appear, bones forming that were quickly covered with twisted muscles that were clearly not correct. An arm was forming in the same way, the bones out of alignment, nothing setting right as if the entire form was unsure of how to go. Zenyatta stepped closer, a black smoke pouring out from his form as the other half of Reaper, the one carrying most of his consciousness started to creep up, smoothing out some of the more obvious errors in trying to put the body back together, trying to merge with the mass of sludge starting to revive.

A snarl erupted deep within, as the torso started to form. Incomplete, blackened, almost rotten organs were being formed, looking like a child had crudely tried to sculpt them with only a vague idea of the shape. Mercy bit her lip before squaring her shoulder and stepping closer, “You are putting yourself together wrong, Gabriel. Let me help-”

The monstrous face of Reaper formed out of the chest of the wretched body,all teeth and eyes, forming where neither should be, the claws on the hands growing some as he hunched, looking more a demonic beast than a man. Genji was already on his feet, detaching himself from the downlaod and moving to get between Mercy and Reaper despite Winston's protests.

“Reaper, listen to me, just let her help you this once, okay? I'm here. I won't let her or anyone here harm you. We are trying to keep you alive and get you back on your feet, okay?” he lowered his voice, stepping forward to place his hands on the surging mass, “I've got you,”

The clawed hands raised, touching against Genji's own, an exasperated hiss passing through him as the mouth started to shift upwards, pushed to the top of where a growth was coming out where the neck roughly was, “Please Reaper?”

“We will allow it, but know we do not like her. At all,” The AI rasped, “Gabriel says we do it for you,”

“Thank you. Both of you,” Genji murmured, offering a small smile. 

His heart was beating hard as he kept close, watching as Mercy moved to load up something on her personal pad, “Your last medical records are still in the Overwatch database, Gabriel. If I give those to you,like a blueprint, could you read them and align again?”

The mass gave a hiss but shook, a half formed, torso with legs, looking more like they belonged on deranged goat-legged demon, starting to push out. One clawed hand extended to snatch the pad, lifting it to one of the many eyes that had grown out of the chest. 

Slowly but surely, the body began to arrange more, starting to take more form. The more monstrous extremities began to pull in and soon, the more familiar form of Reaper began to emerged, already his clothes starting to edge over the areas that seemed to be deemed good enough by The AI's reckoning. 

The entire form slumped back, hissing as the face settled more into place, the tooth filled maw stretching from cheek to cheek in a frown of sorts as the jacket started to reform again, already dressing himself. Genji didn't wait for the whole process to finish before he was pressing himself up against his form, not when the only thing on his mind was that Reaper was there. Alive.

Alive and well.

Reaper grunted as Genji wrapped his arms tightly about him, a shuddering near sob rising up, “You're back,”

The mercenary raised a hand carefully, as if unsure of his body still some, laying it on Genji's back, “Getting there,” he murmured.

The head raised up, the red eyes shifting around the room before fixing on Mercy. The two seemed to stare at each other for a moment before ever so slightly, Reaper gave a small nod before dropping his gaze back to Genji.

A small smile crossed Mercy's face as she nodded back, stepping back to give the two their space. McCree shook his head, grimacing, “That was sort of gross,”

“Squeamish are we, brat?” Reaper drawled, fixing his red eyed gaze on him.

McCree just held up his hands, “That was a whole lot of insides I hope not to see again, that's all I'm saying Gabe,”

“You are a bit more stabilized than before, but far from where we can get to,” Mercy spoke up, “At least your insides are going to be more compatible to eat food as a source of energy restoration a little better now. Maybe with some time-”

“I would not be quick to suddenly start trusting him,” Winston's voice cut through the room as he looked up from the monitor where he had been looking at the data, “It seems someone has been playing the part of a rat all this time,”

Genji looked up sharply at Winston, his grip on Reaper tensing some as if the gorilla had threatened to put Reaper down again, “I know you are suspicious of him, Winston but-”

“Kid?” Jack interrupted, letting out a soft sigh, “That medical report you picked up? It contained Talon's personal records on his activities. Including several recent reports on our activities he's been sending them,”

The room was silent and Genji slowly sat back, staring at Reaper. The mercenary looked away, gripping the edge of the examination table he sat on, “Reaper? “

“They are garbage reports and nothing more. Just something to keep Talon thinking I'm on their side,” Reaper growled, “I don't take sides,”

“I've read over a few of them and there is a lot more truth than rubbish, Gabriel. Don't bother lying when you are caught in your own game,” Jack asked, scowling, “I'm starting to wonder if you really mean anything you've said over the past weeks,”

Reaper lifted his head, baring his teeth slightly, “Just because I've decided to stop hunting you, doesn't mean I've forgiven you. It doesn't mean I'm going to just join your sad little group of misfits trying to save the world. I don't take sides. I look out for myself,” Reaper snarled.

Genji stared at the mercenary, trying to say something even as he felt his heart clench, “What about us?” he finally managed to croak. 

The mercenary looked at Genji for a moment before looking away, hunching his shoulders, “What we have is different. You know that. Nothing I reported is anything they couldn't figure out for themselves. That is what rubbish reporting is,”

“Then why keep it hidden? Why not tell me?” Genji snapped, rising to his feet, “And if that is the truth, why aren't you trying to ease fears rather than rile everyone up!?”

Winston gave a snort, “Either way, we can't determine or confirm he is telling the truth or not. If anything, letting him walk around free would be more a risk right now,” 

Jack gave a small nod, “I hate to say it but we might have to lock-”

“We need his help though! We are already undermanned and,” Genji took a deep breath, shaking, “I... it is all overwhelming but then that is the whole few months in a nutshell, I think he is telling the truth. I trust him. Besides, we have the reports he sent so we can use that to our advantage. I'll keep an eye on him,”

The cyborg looked towards his lover, meeting his gaze, “I trust him. We don't need to lock him up like a convict,”

“I don't know. This seems all rather suspicious. Too many things falling into line and you seem a little off yourself,” Jesse murmured.

Genji looked around at his team, seeing the doubts they had and finding no support there. He turned to look towards Zenyatta as the monk touched his shoulder,”Genji,know that I care about you and I fully support you, but in this, in this I don't think you are well enough to make this call, especially in the face of the facts. It is better to err on the side of caution,”

The betrayal was stamped across Genji's face as he looked about at all of them even as Winston pressed a few keys, dropping a force field of some sort around Reaper, more or less trapping him in a bubble of energy he couldn't shift out of. Reaper tensed, turning his head to eye the barrier, but didn't react violently, more or less accepting this choice, crossing his arms. 

Genji though sunk into a seat, both hands rising to grip the side of his head, “IS that it then? You don't trust me either?”

He felt alone. So terribly alone. Those angry thoughts were rising again, whispering about how no one here understood. They would turn their backs if he didn't act how they wanted. 

It would be rather nice to make them feel pain like he felt. He closed his eyes as the fog seemed to grow and a soothing voice seemed to echo about his mind, as if it was a memory being played out although he couldn't make out the words entirely. From the rising and falling words though, a suggestion was trying to be heard trying to-

“Genji? Please,” Mercy's words cut through the fog, snapping him back into the present. He looked up at them all, confused, hurt, and not sure what to do or say.

Not when his own thoughts were just as strange to him as everyone around him. Everyone but Reaper. The mercenary was staring hard at him,as if able to see whatever fog Genji was lost in, his shoulders tensing as he stepped up to the barrier, touching it, “You have the wrong person locked up. I'm not going to be the danger you need to watch out for,” He growled, “If you would just-”

“We will review the files and discuss this on the way to Santa Fe. Until then, you can sit and think about how honest you are going to start being Gabriel or are we going to relive the past,” Jack growled. His shoulders slumped though, heavy with a weight as he let out a sigh, “Ijust don't think I can trust you. Back then, at first, maybe I should of and maybe now, I should hear you out, but you've changed a lot. A whole lot,”

Reaper sat back, glaring at all of them, baring his teth, “Fine then. If you won't listen, then I won't talk. I don't care what happens really. This isn't my fight so I'll be happy to sit this one out,”

Genji gritted his teeth, feeling the sharp pain growing in his mind. Mercy wrapped an arm about him, helping him to his feet, “Come on Genji. I want to do a medical check-up. Just want to make sure everything is okay,” She whispered.

He nodded,letting her guide him along, holding his head, “Fine. Whatever,”

Even as he left, he could feel Reaper's eyes on him and he wished that there was nothing going on. He wished the dangers were all passed and there was no suspicion and tonight he could just be with his lover. Just lost in a small pocket of bliss and allow his mind some peace.

Maybe if everyone was dead, there could be peace.

Genji nearly tripped over his own feet as the thought causing Mercy to steady him some, “Genji?”

“Fine. I'm fine,” He murmured.

He knew though that something was wrong. The thought to murder everyone had come with a rush of pleasure, as if someone had trailed hands up his back. IT felt like the thrill he used to get from some rather illegal substances in his youth he had tried. A feeling his mind seemed to want more of, fueling more aggressive thoughts that seemed to encourage more of that pleasure to surge through. 

All he had to do was to just get rid of everything in his way to be with Reaper. Was that not the best path?

Genji closed his eyes, “I think I need a lot of sleep after today,”

“Maybe. You seem stressed,” Mercy gently sat him down, taking out a scanner to start checking his systems, “I'm sorry Reaper got detained. I know that... that you would prefer to be with him,”

“Yeah, I would but clearly I'm the minority in thinking he can be trusted,” Genji looked away, eyes distant, a vacant look filling them.

Mercy bit her lip, looking at her friend, “Genji, I can't see anything wrong. Nothing seems out of place physically, so, just, if you need to talk to someone, I will always listen. Same with Zenyatta. We are all here for you,”

Genji forced a slight smile he didn't feel and a nod, “Thanks, it means a lot,”

It meant a lot but it should have meant more but some part of him was twisting, telling him that it was all lies. This was all a method of control to keep him chained. It was all lies. Every word.

He closed his eyes and fought to not grasp at his head again so as not to alarm Mercy. He rose to his feet slowly and gave a nod,”I'll try to sleep some before we head out again. I think I can catch an hour or two?”

“That sounds fine. I'll come get you if you start to oversleep though. If you need us before then though Genji, we are here for you,” Mercy repeated, smiling softly, “All of us,”

Genji gave a nod and offered a smile he didn't feel as he walked along the hallway to his room, the confusion in his mind growing. Some rest would clear this all up. That is what he told himself as he came into his room. 

Just some rest.

He came into his room and allowed himself to crash onto his bed, burying his face into he pillow with a soft sigh. Briefly he considered sharing his thoughts with Zenyatta or even Hanzo as his brother could always set him straight in the past. Yet another part of him snarled, wanting nothing to be alone. He shook his head and let out another deep sigh before closing his eyes, willing himself to sleep.

It was easy to fall asleep and the embrace of unconsciousness.

In those dark depths though, the sinking claws of a nightmare found him. 

He stood in a desolate place, staring ahead at the sight of his own dragon, the familiar shimmering green of the spirit, curling and thrashing about, roaring. Chains seemed to be curled around it and before it, a figure stood, tall with a glossy dark metal sheen, an omnic. One that seems so familiar. Without question, Genji charged toward the figure, as if knowing it was his enemy but the omnic did not move, only lifting a hand as the lights of its head became a sinister blood red shade. 

“Allow me to awaken your true nature with the dark iris,” The soothing voice said, amusement clear.

As the words hung in the air, the dragon let out a scream, arching as the green color began to bleed red, the beast becoming more twisted, as twisted as the omnic before him as arms of red, demonic as if one of the various evils painted upon temple walls that the world warned against. Genji stepped back, staring up in horror as the dragon descended, maw open to devour him, the laughter ringing in his air as he let out a scream-

Genji woke up, gasping, sitting up in bed eyes wide as the vision fading quickly, replaced with the quiet calm of the room. The sun had set outside, leaving the room in a calming darkness with only the soft sound of night insects breaking-the cool air. 

He let out a shaky sigh as his shoulders popped to release steam, slumping forward to cup his head. 

Something was terribly wrong with him. He could sense it. He rose to his feet, legs trembling. Nightmares were said to be visions, to be messages brought to those of the Shimada clan by the gods above. At least, that had always been the legends passed down. The dragons were messengers of the Heaven and they knew more, saw more, and understood what could come.

It was said the dragon spirits could always sense disturbances.

Genji made it to the door and paused, raising a hand to his face. He would never do something like that though. He would rather die than hurt any of his friends or family. He would never raise a hand against them, no matter what. 

More than ever though, Genji missed Reaper, missed his blunt way of handling problems. No doubt he would have something to say about all this confusion and fog. There had been worry in Reaper's look earlier and a part of him wanted so desperately to talk to him, but as of now, the cyborg was pretty sure no one would let him with a few feet of his lover. Not with the suspicions of Reaper's motives and their own questioning of Genji being of a sound mind.

Genji opened his eyes and straightened up.

He had a mission though. If he could not sleep then he would take the time to meditate and prepare himself mentally for tomorrow. Confusion or not, the world needed him to be ready to face Talon, head on with no hesitation.

His hands clenched. 

Tomorrow, everyone would prove to the world that this world still needed people who cared enough to fight for everything good left in this world. 

This world still needed heroes. 

With those thoughts in mind pushing back against the fog of violence, Genji left his room heading for the gardens to meditate. Maybe tomorrow he could request time to speak with Reaper.

He needed to be ready for the coming battle.


	12. Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, here is chapter twelve! Came out faster than eleven but I knew how this chapter had to go from start to finish and I apologize for the cliffhanger! ONE more chapter to go!! 
> 
> sectionalized version found here: https://macabrecabra.tumblr.com/private/149394978771/tumblr_oce5vg72Bh1usxu17

Chapter Twelve: Heroes 

Genji barely listened to the conversation going on around him, his gaze fixed on his clasped hands, feeling detached from the situation, dazed as if barely awake from some strange dream. Whatever Jack was explaining, whatever it was McCree was saying, all of it seemed to exist in some other world to the cyborg. It was so very hard to maintain focus with how jumbled his thoughts had grown.

Other sounds seemed to echo louder like the hum of the ship, the tap of Reinhardt's armored finger as he eagerly awaited their landing to the soft humming of Tracer as she swung her legs back and forth. Those sounds were so much louder and easy to focus on, piercing his mind and making him want to scream at everyone to stop moving. He said nothing though.

His gaze remained fixed on his hands trying to force himself to focus. He wanted to focus and be a part of this plan but it felt like something else was keeping his mind imprisoned. 

It seemed so long ago that they had left the manor, armed to the teeth, and ready to try and stop Talon's scheme. Yet only a few hours had passed since they had left and then had gathered on the bridge to discuss strategy or, as it seemed to Genji, Jack and Hanzo to discuss strategy while everyone else threw in a suggestion once and a while. It felt familiar, like old times almost. Jack and Ana had always stood at the head, giving the orders. Vaguely Genji could not recall speaking then even. Although Hanzo seemed have started to replace Ana as second-in-command, fitting given his own leadership experiences, nothing seemed to have changed since Overwatch's fall. That familiarity only served to awaken just more bitter, angry thoughts, distracting his thoughts even more. Genji let out a soft sigh and glanced away from his hands to his left.

There Reaper sat, still contained in his force field generated prison, arms crossed and detached, looking as disinterested as ever. He had barely spoken a word since his imprisonment and had not put up much resistance when moved. Even when addressed, he barely acknowledged anyone, dead set on as being little help as possible now since his loyalty to anything had been called into question.

Just looking at him, Genji wanted nothing more than to be left alone to speak to him. Any attempt so far always ended up in someone intercepting him, asking for his opinion or asking if he was well. As he glanced over at Reaper again, he noted that again, Reaper was watching him warily, arms crossed. That was the only attention Reaper had thus far given to anyone. That long stare with a slight tension in his shoulders that told Genji he could sense something off. Just that careful stare was enough to make Genji feel more anxious, as if Reaper really wanted to say something to him, something important, but not in front of everyone else. It just served to frustrate him even more. 

“From the information Genji collected, we know they are setting it off at this building, one of the taller skyscrapers in the city center. Appears they bribed the local government with a quick fix to the 'omnic problem',” Jack gestured to the holographic map in front of them of the building in question, “But that means the way up to the top is going to be pretty straight forward. Not like they could change it up too much inside,”

Zenyatta let out a sigh, “It is a shame there is so much hate. This would not even be an issue if there was a way to bridge the cap between omnics and humans more peacefully,”

“Eh, some people can't cope with change. Every generation seems to have some group they want on the out,” McCree let out a sigh, blowing out a trail of smoke, “So we get in, get to the top and then what? Just smash it?”

“Wouldn't advice that,” Winston pushed up his glasses some with a frown, “It might cause a detonation of the device which, from the schematics, would be ten times worse than the meltdown encountered before due to the fact they installed the power source and device together directly, rather than siphoning off another generator. This has the potential to level the entire city of Santa Fe,”

Reinhardt scowled, slamming his hand on the table, “Well, we will not let that happen! We will stop them and disarm the device then!”

“Possible,” Torbjörn interjected, “But I think it would be better to carry it off and dismantle it safely. I doubt local government and Talon will just sit quietly for an hour or two as we get it disarmed completely and destroyed,”

“Either way, we need to secure the target,” Hanzo looked around the table, “It might be prudent to split up and have to strike teams, one to hold defense and one to get to the device,”

Jack gave a nod, looking around the table, “There is nine of us so we can do teams of four and-”

“Ten. There are ten of us,” Genji put in, lifting his gaze, his voice a dull murmur, “Do teams of five on five and balance out,”

“Genji,”Jack let out a sigh, “We have discussed this. We aren't sure of Reaper's-”

“He's with us,” Genji interrupted bluntly, “Besides, if you are going to keep a prisoner, you are going to have to keep a guard here. Can you afford to take out two individuals from the action?”

There was a glance about the room at the question. It was a fair question and one no one had seemed to consider. Reaper gave a snort and the eye roll could almost be felt as he looked away, hunching his shoulders. 

Mercy though cleared her throat, raising a hand up to get the attention of the group, “Actually, I think someone should be staying behind,” She looked over to where Hanzo was sitting, “Not everyone here is medically cleared in fact,”

The archer scowled, crossing his arms and looking away even as the doctor stared him down, her gaze unwavering, “Hanzo, you are still in recovery. Chest wounds like that need at least-,”

“I am perfectly fine to join this fight,” Hanzo argued, “I do not need to be treated like an invalid,” 

“Just leave Genji here,” the group turned to look to Reaper as he spoke up, the mercenary lounged out on a chair behind the shimmering wall of the containment cell, “You are better off leaving him behind and taking his gimp of an older brother,” 

The comment had Hanzo frowning and Genji barely had a reaction, just a slight twitch of his mouth towards a frown but otherwise, he did not say a word. A part of him agreed with Reaper but something else, something driving and insistent within his mind was telling him he had to be there. He had a mission to complete. What that mission was, he was not sure, only that it involved the people here somehow.

As thoughts of whatever mission he seemed vaguely aware of, his gaze trailed along the table to fall on Zenyatta. Just looking at his master aroused a sudden distaste within him now. That sudden feeling though came now with a strange yet almost intoxicating sense of pleasure as if something was rewarding him for his horrid thoughts towards his friend. Anytime there was a protesting thought though, or a reminder of all the good the omnic monk had done for him, the opposite occurred in the form of a sudden sharp pain that was almost unbearable. It was easier to just tiredly let those strange, misplaced feelings of anger linger.

It was impossible to focus otherwise with the pain stabbing at his temples and the sense of ease and pleasure was becoming more of a craving than a relief. 

“Genji is coming with us,” Jack growled, “And I know better than to argue with Mercy's prognosis,”

Hanzo scowled, leaning back with a tsking sound, “Fantastic,”

“That's what you get for playing hero,” Genji drawled, a bit of bite to the comment earning a slight look from the archer, “No one asked you to take hits for me, like that makes up for everything you did to me in the past,”

The cyborg was only half aware the others were looking at him too for his harsh comment. This time however, Genji showed more of a reaction to their looks, shooting them all an irritated glare, “What? I'm going, Hanzo's staying to watch Reaper because everyone here but me likes to waste resources, so Let's move on. What's the actual plan of attack?”

“Someone's in a bad mood,” Tracer murmured, shooting Genji a concerned look.

He gave her a single extended middle finger before returning to glaring at his hands and ignoring them all once more. He really didn't care what any of them said. Was he suppose to always act nice and so at peace with this whole wretched world at all times of the day? Was he just suppose to blindly follow the orders of people who didn't listen to him and just keep to himself like a good boy? These questions started to percolate within him until a insidious hiss seemed to wash through, cold, strangely calming, but asking a curious, vicious question. 

Wouldn't it be easier to just kill them all?

The thought didn't even cause any sort of surprise in Genji other than a faint twitch of his hands. He just tried to ignore it. The thoughts were so persistent though, repeated over and over again until it felt more like a mantra. Genji closed his eyes and sat back as the topic turned towards the strategy. Split up, get in, secure the target, and then move on. That was all he needed to know. That was all he cared to know.

A touch to his shoulder caused him to jump some, looking over at Zenyatta, “Genji?”

“What?” Genji growled, pulling away from the monk's touch, eyes narrowed.

“I am worried about you. I have not seen you like this since we met-” the omnic began in a soft whisper, only for Genji to rise to his feet, pulling away entirely. 

The discussion went silent at the movement, all eyes returning to Genji as he stepped away from the monk with an almost hostile expression.

“Don't touch me,” He growled, “Maybe I don't feel like being overly happy and at peace all the time like you want. Maybe human emotions are a little more complicated than you can comprehend!”

Tracer rose to her feet now, frowning, “Hey now Genji, that is really uncalled for! We all know you are upset but Zenyatta is your friend! We all are! Don't take this out on us, not when we got a bigger enemy to face!” 

The cyborg rolled his eyes, hunching his shoulders as he stepped away from the table and toward the exit, “I'm not needed for this whole discussion. Seems you all know what to do and I just am going to follow whatever you say. Same as it was back in the day. Jack sits at the head and we all nod and praise his plans. Not much has changed,” 

They were all staring at him as he left. He could feel their eyes in his back but he couldn't care less. His own thoughts couldn't grasp at any reason for him to apologize for his words even though he felt the sting of guilt writhing in him. This was not normal.

Was stress really a cause to become so cruel all of a sudden?

He slumped into a chair in the back of the ship lined with harnesses for carrying more troops for drops. It was quiet at least back here and no one was around. Here, the fog seemed to clear some and Genji let out a sigh, rubbing his face, grimacing. If anything, his meditation earlier had seemed to only sharpen the anger in him and cause the fog to thicken as his thoughts anxiously dwell on all the faults and small things about people he hadn't even realized he disliked. Maybe after all this he would apologize to Zenyatta for his comment. It was really uncalled for and carried many undertones that were often thrown at Genji from disgruntled civilians when they saw he was a cyborg.

Yet, here he was turning those hateful words back on the one person who had helped him the most. The shame was welling up in his chest as he gripped his head in both hands. That comment had been very unnecessary and said with an intent to hurt Zenyatta and that was something he never did. Never had even thought to do in the many years they've known each other. 

What was wrong with him?

“We are landing soon, Genji,” The cyborg lifted his head, staring at his brother who was leaned in the doorway, “The meeting let out and I came to fine you,”

“Why the concern all of a sudden?” Genji asked quietly.

Hanzo gave a slight frown, “Because this indifference is nothing like you Genji. Growing up, even when you could be a pain, you never intentionally insulted or acted cruel towards others, especially those you considered friend or family,” 

“No? Well, that indifference I suppose is more your area of expertise, but even I can be pushed to not care, just like you chose no to care about me,” Genji looked away, crossing his arms. The words rising up felt unnatural and yet at the same time, it felt so hard to think of anything to say. Sudden feelings of anger and discontent started to form, pushing down the part that wanted to tell Hanzo everything.  
He was his brother. They had made amends. Why was he now wanting to change his mind and push his brother down and prey upon the guilt that he knew Hanzo struggled with?

“I have done plenty to show my care, Genji. I had thought he had reached a point where we could move forward,” Hanzo started to approach his brother, eyes narrowed, “What happened to you?”

A soft laugh escaped Genji as he eyed Hanzo, “What happened? My entire life fell to shambles when you left me for dead. My entire life was taken away from me. Every dream I had in my youth dashed as I was brought into this existence where I spend my time in foolish meditations looking for a higher power to help because no one on this earth wishes for me to be myself,” the anger was welling up now again and his eyes narrowed in a glare at his brother, “Does that answer the question?”

Hanzo's own look darkened and his hands clenched, “You are not my brother,” he growled, “This is not how Genji would speak,”

Those words cut deep and something ugly crept up. The fog in his mind seemed to break, replaced by a sudden hatred. Everything they had tried to fix was being pushed back and written off as that horrible rancor built in Genji's chest as he fixed Hanzo with a look of absolute contempt and without a hint of any sense of mercy. Genji was across the room in an instant, shoving a somewhat surprised Hanzo hard up against the wall of the ship, his forearm pressed into his throat.

“You are right. I'm not you brother,” Genji said quietly, “Because now I'm regretting thinking that we ever could be brothers again. Perhaps, in fact, I should make it official that I'm an only child,”

He flexed his fingers, causing his forearm to open, the deadly shurikens rolling out halfway, pressing against Hanzo's throat. One of them drawing just a small line of blood as Hanzo tensed, clearly alarmed by the more deadly turn of events. The crimson liquid was such a contrast to his pale skin and something about that sight seemed to bring to Genji a sickening pleasure. He was trembling some and it was not entirely from revulsion at his own actions. The entire world was narrowing down to that crimson cut and how something in him seemed to yearn to spill more. 

There was something beautiful in it, a thrill in being this close to taking a life. The whole situation was rather intimate. Hanzo wasn't even daring to swallow, looking at Genji with a look of almost horror as if he could see something in his brother right now that even he had not expected to gaze upon. Genji just smiled, an almost blank look on his face, eyes tracing over, memorizing the look on Hanzo's face as he shifted to tense the arm with the half emerged throwing stars and embed each one into his-

“I don't mean to interrupt, but I don't think now is the time for a sibling brawl,” 

Genji pulled back, blinking a bit as he looked down at his arm as the fog closed back up. Almost bewildered, he looked over to where McCree stood, Tracer and Jack behind him, all three looking at him with obvious concern. He didn't like how they were looking at them or how Hanzo was looking at him as he raised a hand to rub his throat and the small cut. They were all looking upon him as if witnessing some sort of beast in a cage baring its teeth.

“It wasn't a brawl. Forgive me for reacting to him saying I was not his brother when I can't be around the one person who seems to still treat me as I'm still human,” Genji hissed, turning away from them.

Jack let out a soft sigh, “Genji-”

“I' m here for this mission and that is it. Afterwards, I'm leaving. I want no part of this group,” Genji looked over his shoulder at the people that he was slowly starting to suspect of every anxious thought he ever had despite another voice in him screaming this was not him. 

These were not his thoughts. There was something vile taking residence in his soul, growing stronger as he let it spread. 

“This world needs heroes, not ghosts trying to appease their own guilt. None of us are nothing more than relics,” He could see the slight flinch in Jack and Tracer looking away quickly. 

Only McCree stood there, frowning as he crossed his arms, shaking his head, “I don't believe that Genji and I know you really don't believe that. I'm not sure what brought this mood on but is it really worth trying to push everyone away?” He asked.

Genji just turned away again, hands clenching as he struggled to find a response, unable to focus on his own words. The effort was tiring. There was always that throb of pain that made it just that much harder to fight whatever demon seemed to have taken up residence in his thoughts. Thus he remained silent, shoulders hunched forward. Hanzo stepped closer the group, his eyes still on Genji, narrowed, burning into the cyborg's back.

He had wished he had just murdered his older brother and been done with this game of back and forth. Another part though was horrified he would consider murder of another so lightly now as if life was a worthless commodity. 

“You need to get your head on straight, Genji. One way or another, this isn't you, even if you want to try and convince us of this. Hell, this isn't even Gabriel rubbing off on you. He's cold, but he never acted completely inhuman,” McCree growled, “We got a mission and that's what counts now. Whatever personal offenses you need to settle, we can settle after, got it?”

Genji just gave a mute nod, tensing up at the bounty hunter's words. He sounded a lot stronger than Genji remembered in his youth. He sounded almost like Gabriel sometimes when he talked, that no nonsense, goal-oriented point of view that seemed to ease something in the cyborg. He didn't speak though, only letting out a soft, trembling sigh and raising a hand to rub his temples. McCree was right. He needed to do something to try and clear his mind. 

McCree eyed him for a few more minutes, dragging a deep inhale from his cigar before turning with a sigh and heading towards the exit door of the ship off to the side. He pressed a few keys on the door, the portal opening with a hiss and lowering the stairwell to the ground to allow for him to disembark. He glanced over his shoulder at the others as he dropped his cigar to the ground, stamping out the end.

“Now, just let me handle this. My uncle hasn't seen me since I was fourteen or fifteen. Probably thinks I'm dead or still running with the Deadlock gang or something,” he murmured, “It might not be a warm welcome,”

Tracer shook her head, trying to work up a smile as she turned her attention away from the silent cyborg, “That doesn't sound like it is going to go well,”

“Eh, I'm sure things will be fine,” McCree murmured, clomping down the stairs and onto the dusty soil of the desert, “He's like sixty years old and not about to pose much of a-”

McCree jumped to the side as a clap of gunshot went off and a bullet pinged off the ground just inches from where he stood followed by a second on forcing the cowboy to jump to the other side.

“What in-! Stop shooting at me! Its Jesse!” McCree hollered putting a hand to his hat and glaring at the ranch farmhouse just a short distance away. 

In the doorway, a spindly looking old man stood, dressed in the clothing of a rancher, smoking a cigar as he lifted his old model rifle, squinting down the barrel, “I don't know no Jesse! That varmin ran off years ago!”

“That varmin came crawling back! Its me you old coot! Jesse McCree!” McCree growled, pulling off his hat, pointing to his face with the other hand, “Are you going blind!?”

Tracer was covering her mouth trying not to laugh while Jack let out a sigh shaking his head. The whole scene though managed a small smile out of Genji and gave his mind something else to focus on that wasn't his own miseries or the whole situation at hand. 

 

Slowly the old man lowered his gun, chewing idly on the end of his cigar, squinting, “...is that really you Jesse?”

“Yes. Its me,” the exasperation was clear in the gunslinger's voice as he put his hat back on his head, “Now if you would be so kind-”

He barely got out of the way as the old man shot at him again, spitting out his cigar to really holler, “Jesse you varmin, ya yellow-bellied snake! I don't see you for over a damn decade and you come crawling out of whatever shallow grave they put you in to bother me?! Dammit boy, you ain't no better than your bastard of a bitch father!”

“Calm down! I don't want to cause any trouble! Just- would you stop shooting at me!?” McCree rarely lost his cool and right now he looked about ready to blow, red in the face already, “This is an issue of national security you old geezer!”

Already McCree was sprinting forward, taking up the porch in a few steps and starting to wrestle the gun away from the older man, “You always have to be the difficult one in the family!”

“I'm not the one who ran off to join a criminal organization!” The older man spat although he let go of the gun, crossing his arms, “And you expected a warm welcome home after disappearing for so long!?”

McCree let out a sigh, shaking his head, “I didn't but I've been scared to come back and face you for a long time and well, something big is going down and we need a starting off point,”

The old man eyed him before letting out a sigh, putting an arm about McCree's shoulder, “You live a life I'm not even going to try and understand just,” he let out another heavy sigh, “Guess it is good to see your dumb ass again, Jess,”

“Same to you, Uncle Will,” Jesse murmured, finally cracking a smile.

Tracer came down the steps next, giving a smile, “Nice to meet you Uncle McCree!” she said cheerfully with a wave, “Thank you for not hitting Jesse!”

“He's just lucky my aim is terrible in my old age,” the rancher grumbled, before looking at McCree, eyes narrowed, “That your wife? You finally settling down with a nice girl and going to start a decent family life?”

Genji couldn't help giving a small smile as he overheard the question and of course the long flustered reply from McCree as he tried to explain things. Tracer was just laughing, a sound that seemed to break the tension. 

It was a strange almost surreal moment really to see such life pass on and if things had felt normal still, Genji supposed he would have made some sort of comment. As it were, he felt like if he even opened his mouth, some ill-tempered, hurtful comment would spill out. Thus he stood to the side of the stairwell, arms crossed as he watched everyone step off. No one made to speak to him, not even Zenyatta although the monk's shoulders hunched as he passed, as if expecting Genji to sneer something else at him. The cyborg remained quietly, waiting until finally the last person, Hanzo stepped off, giving him a searching, almost concerned look before he followed the others into the house. It as only then Genji moved, quickly moving to enter back into the ship and onto the bridge. 

The room was empty now other than Reaper still in his prison, leaned back as if he hadn't a care in the world. For his predicament, he appeared to have a sense of calm that brought a small smile to Genji's tired face.

“You really are okay about all this?” Genji asked, pulling a chair up beside the barrier.

“No. Not really,” Reaper turned his head to regard Genji, “I don't care anything about this mission. I'm worried about you though,”

Genji let out a soft, humorless laugh, “Seems everyone is either worried about me or thinks I'm losing my mind,”

Reaper regarded him silently for a bit before sitting up, turning to fully face Genji, “Then why stay and follow through with this suicide run? You don't have to go. You don't owe them anything,”

The cyborg gave a small shrug, “I don't know. It feels like I should I mean they are,” Genji paused, sighing as he looked away, “they were friends. It seems my duty now to try and do something to help, to save others. What would I do if I didn't? Just run away?”

“Yes,” Reaper leaned forward some, putting a hand up on the barrier, “The two of us could just leave right now and put this all behind us,”

“Just like that? Where would we go?” Genji asked quietly. 

He leaned forward against the barrier where Reaper's hand was, wishing there was nothing between them so he could touch and just feel for a moment like everything was fine. He was sick of the fog in his mind, the thoughts he had,and he was sick of having to worry about anything and everything. He was so tired of it all.

“Go wherever we wanted to go. We aren't bound to anyone,” Reaper answered softly, “Mercenary lifestyle pays well. Can avoid the whole world if we like,”

Genji smiled closing his eyes, “that sounds wonderful but I doubt the whole world will leave us be. In my experience, that isn't how things work,”

Reaper was quiet, his chin tucked towards his chest some as his hand clenched against the barrier, “You shouldn't go. You know that right?”

“I know,” Genji looked away, “But do I have a choice?” 

The mercenary was silent, refusing to look up as he dropped his hands to his lap listlessly, “I can't be there to help you Genji and you'll need it. I can't tell you why, not without risking losing you,” he looked up at Genji, his voice soft, “Don't go,”

The cyborg lifted a hand to touch the barrier, yearning to just let him out, to pull him close but knowing if he did so, someone would be rushing in to stop him. No doubt some sort of security system other than the barrier was in place to keep the mercenary detained. He just wanted to touch. He wondered if this is how Reaper felt, always wanting to touch another but unable to without causing harm or even death. Always behind a barrier. Genji hunched closer against the barrier, just allowing himself to imagine that like this, they were still able to be close. 

Reaper leaned in, the forehead of his mask touching the barrier over where Genji's hand was. Within his chest, Genji felt his heart clench.

“I have to go,” Genji managed out softly, “I might be of different opinions but I saw what this device can do. You saw it too. It isn't just about me anymore. Maybe in the past, I would have agreed that it wasn't my fight but now,” he managed out a shaky sigh, “Reaper, this is our world and it is our fight. There is no where we can run. You know that,”

Reaper was silent, looking away although he remained he leaned up against the barrier. Genji moved to do the same, trying to feel as close as he could to the other man as he closed his eyes, “I wish everything could just work out,”

“It might,” The mercenary murmured, “Listen Genji I-I just want you to know, whatever you think about the others is probably wrong. What you think about me is probably wrong too,”

Genji opened his eyes to look at Reaper, “What are you talking about?”

“I can't tell you. I don't know if they did some sort of trigger. I don' know what they did but,” Reaper took a deep breath, a slight nearly undetectable tremor in his voice as he spoke again, looking at the floor, “You aren't me. You aren't hateful or violent or – you don't kill like I do Genji. Don't start now. Don't let go of yourself,”

In that single moment, Genji had never seen Reaper look so vulnerable. Even when he was locked up, he had that air of confidence and pride that never seemed to fail him. Now though, now he looked so small, hands clenched tight and trying to hid the cracks in the wall of usual defenses. Genji pressed his shoulder tighter against the barrier, closing his eyes tight and nodding.

“I won't be responsible or anyone's death, but Reaper, you aren't like that either. You aren't as hateful or cold or violent as you think. Even if you won't say it, I know you care about the others. You care about me,” Genji whispered, “You would go on this mission and help us with everything you had. I know that even if they doubt it,”

Reaper inhaled sharply, a soft broken sound at he lowered his head, bringing a hand up to clutch at the mask he wore but he didn't speak. He didn't dare. Genji knew he was coming apart right then trying to keep something in. He smiled and wished the others could see the so called “traitor” now, quietly breaking down and trying not to show it. Trying to keep it inside that he still felt something profoundly human. 

“I'm going on this mission and when I come back, we can figure it all out okay? I'll help you through it. Together we can work out this snarl of emotional turmoil. Yours and mine, okay?” Genji slowly sat up, hunching over. 

The fog in his mind seemed a little more distant as if it struggled to hold its control or maybe he just didn't care to let it grip him now, not when he wanted to just hold onto the man he loved on the other side of that barrier. Reaper shook his head though at Genji's words, holding his silence as both hands were pressed to the masked face, his breathing hitching more. 

“If you go, you aren't going to come back,” Reaper whispered, his voice broken, “I'll lose you,”

Genji touched the barrier one last time, “Reaper, you trust me right?”

Another small nod and another ragged inhaled, hunching over. The cyborg smiled, “Then trust me now. I'll come back,”

There was no response from the mercenary although he pulled away, curling up some as if he was hurt. It made Genji ache just to look at him and the desire to somehow get the barrier down to embrace him was almost deafening now, overriding that fog completely although it was starting to creep back in.

Slowly but surely, those whispering thoughts were returning, seeping into the creases of his mind. The cyborg's fingers clenched against the barrier as he dropped his gaze to the floor, “Reaper? Do you think we can win?”

The mercenary turned his head some, dropping his hands slowly from his mask. His gaze was fixed on the floor still before he looked away, “No. Overwatch failed once. It will fail again. Nothing has changed about it,”

Genji gave a sad smile as he turned away, “I thought so,” he said softly, “Still, if there is hope,”

His words trailed off as he took a deep breath, trying to focus even as his mind seemed to be in a constant state of rebellion and one part of him just wanted to run. He had lived a selfish life once. At the center of the world had only been his needs and his desires but that young man he had been had grown up and realized there were other things in life. Friends, family, and people he loved that were linked to the rest of the world in a tangle mass. He was hurting and his mind throbbed with pain as he tried to struggle to maintain that he cared about everyone still, fighting a private war inside, but there was a single clear thought that he could hold onto and lift above that crushing fog.

He wasn't doing this for him, but for Reaper, for Hanzo, for Jack, for Tracer, even for people like Winston and Torbjörn. He was doing this to prove that anything could be overcome if your vision of the future remained clear. 

If Overwatch couldn't win, at least today, let them light the beacon of hope and let their story inspire someone else to take up their mantle. If they fell, let there be others to take their place.

“I'll be back Reaper, for you,” Genji said quietly, “I refuse to say goodbye ever to you. I'll be back,”

“Mi cielo,” the words came out, a near whisper, hoarse and broken as Reaper looked away. Whatever else he wanted to say was lost in a heaving, broken inhale of air as if he was struggling to even express himself now.

But that struggle was enough for Genji to smile and know how much Reaper did care even if he tried to hide it. Underneath the surface, something of who he was still remained strong. His humanity could not be destroyed as entirely as his body.

Genji took a deep breath and moved away, quickly exiting the ship before anyone asked where he had been. He didn't want to deal with their concerns, not when it seemed alone, he could think clearer. His feet had barely touched the ground, his heart heavy, before a familiar voice spoke up, just off to the side.

“The others are looking for you Genji. I told them you were meditating alone,” Zenyatta's voice cut through the calm, jolting Genji from his thoughts. 

The omnic monk sat just outside the home where the others were gathered in his usual meditative pose although his posture held a tinge of sadness. Genji eyed Zenyatta, part of him wanting to smile and thank him, but another part whispering that he was up to something. Wasn't an omnic responsible for how he felt and hadn't Zenyatta been the only omnic he had seen?

Another thought, a whisper of how Zenyatta had been in agreement with the group for keeping Reaper locked up made its way through as well, trying to paint the monk to be some sort of enemy. Zenyatta wanted to keep him alone and to only hear his teachings. He wanted to intentional isolate him, mold him to be his perfect student with passive, cunning pushes down the path only Zenyatta saw as correct. He had wanted to make Genji more at ease with his robotic form and abandon his humanity. A more omnic being, not a balance of machine and humanity. 

'Are you really going to let him sink his grip in tighter?' A voice asked softly with a sneer.

Genji trembled some, feeling a sudden pain in his mind and the power to focus seemed to leave him completely as he gritted his teeth to keep walking by the omnic monk without even a glance or word his way.

“Genji? What is wrong? I- I did not mean to offend you if I have,” the monk was following after him, his tone having a concerned edge, “Talk to me Genji. We could always talk. Something is troubling you,”

“You are troubling me, you and your teachings, omnic,” Genji growled out, looking over his shoulder as he paused on the porch, “Your words, they have no practicality when you look at it. You expect the best of people don't you but you can't trust Reaper. Is it because he has killed?”

“I do not know Reaper, Genji but from what has been said, his reasoning-” Zenyatta began slowly only to be interrupted from a harsh laugh from Genji.

The cyborg shook his head, “Then I suppose I should tell you know that my hands carry blood too. I'm not an innocent, shy child for you to coddle and hold sway over. Reaper and I are simply two sides of the same coin. Maybe you should wake up to the world as it really is. Maybe you should see even in the iris, the need for death and killing is a necessity to revive this sick world,” 

Zenyatta flinched back, his posture almost alarmed, “What did you say?” he asked quietly, disbelief in his voice. 

Genji closed his eyes as the words he said faded, lost to him. He shook his head, “I do not know what you are talking about Zenyatta. What did I say?”

The omnic looked away, “You sounded like.... it is nothing. I'm sorry to delay you,” he murmured. 

The cyborg gave a distracted nod, holding his head as he entered the house, feeling more gaps starting to form in his memory now, gaps that hurt to think about. He was so tired again.

So very tired. 

He had barely realized he had collapses onto a couch his cheek pressing into the cloth as his eyes closed for a second. Upon entering the home, he had wanted to seek out the others and see if anything about tomorrow had changed, not passing out as he did. He only again became aware of the world as he was being gentle shook awake by a heavily armored hand. Reinhardt offered a smile as Genji lifted his gaze towards him, eyes squinted with remnants of sleep.

“It is time to go, Genji,” he murmured, “The attack is about to start, my friend,”

The cyborg sat up rubbing his face tiredly before rising slowly to his feet with a sigh. He did a quick check of his own equipment, feeling a bit embarrassed for falling asleep with his swords still on. It would explain why his back felt a bit sore. No doubt the short blade sheath and the sheath on his back had been digging into his side the whole time he had been asleep. 

“I'm ready,” he murmured, the heavy weight upon his mind seeming to shiver in pleasure as if eager to start as well. That mission he had to complete was pressing at the back of his mind, starting to ease out more details. 

Reinhardt gave a smile and a nod before stepping out of the house. Behind him, Genji could hear McCree talking with his uncle, no doubt giving his final farewells. Genji sighed and moved to slip his mask back into place with a hiss. He still felt tired despite his rest but hopefully the adrenaline would eventually kick in to banish the fatigue. 

Torbjörn was already out front, putting the last details on the armored vehicle that they had carried in the belly of the carrier. Soldier 76 was already up front in the passenger seat, arms crossed and visor in place, staring a head. In the back, the others were strapping in and the nervous tension was growing more prominent between all of them. The only person not preparing was Hanzo. He stood, scowling at the lot of them as he crossed his arms ,leaning against the railing of the porch with an icy sort of glare. 

“You will need me on this. I am perfectly fine-” he began to argue only to be silence with a look from Mercy.

“You suffered a near fatal chest wound. Pushing yourself at all could do any number of things upon your body. I am not clearing you for duty,” Mercy answered, “and that is final,”

“Besides, we need someone to mind the ship and Reaper,” Winston added, “It is two birds with one stone,”

Hanzo snorted, turning away, “It is ridiculous is what it is,”

Genji just rolled his eyes as he walked by Hanzo, “Well then, being as you are ridiculous yourself, it is a fitting job for you,”

There was no response from Hanzo although he shot a smoldering glare his way before stalking off towards the ship. Winston heaved a sigh, glancing to Genji, “Must you antagonize him?”

“He deserves it,” Genji snapped, “Don't presume to know enough of our history to lecture me on good manners,”

“But you have forgiven your brother and spoke to me often of how you wished to be close up until a few days ago it seems,” Zenyatta murmured quietly, “What has happened?”

“Nothing,” Genji said simply, “At least, nothing I wish to share with any of you. My business is my own,”

Winston and Zenyatta shared a look but did not bring it up again. The doors to the vehicle closed as McCree did a final check before climbing into the driver's seat, starting it up. Within a few more moments, they were on their way, no one speaking or joking. The unease had made the whole vehicle as silent as a tomb. 

It was nothing like the past where they had usually shared some sort of banter, laughing and carrying on to try and banish their fears. The doubt was there. After the fall of Overwatch, after seeing all the world move on without them, there was a sense of feeling unneeded still. There was still so much uncertainty about if they could really do anything to stop what was about to happen. They were a handful of once heroes trying to make some sort of difference in a world that was labeling them as criminals. 

Genji kept his eyes closed behind his mask, trying to calm the racing thoughts buzzing in his mind, making it impossible to think. Everything felt like it was being experienced from somewhere outside his body.

He felt disconnected, lost, but he did not speak up.

“Moving into position now,” McCree murmured, his voice so soft it barely disturbed the silence that shrouded them, “From this point, we are crashing in the front entrance and weapons are blazing,”

“Once inside and have the entryway secure, we split into two teams. Reinhardt will lead one team with Genji, Mercy, Zenyatta, and Winston. McCree, Myself, Tracer, and Torbjörn will take the other point,”

Reinhardt gave a small nod, “We are taking the more direct route into the interior to try and shut down the power to the building while your group will take the back route to try and cut off any sort of escape where they could get the device away,” he murmured, “That is about right?”

“Seems almost too easy and simple,” Tracer murmured.

“Means it is going to be ten times more difficult,” McCree grumbled, “That is how these things usually turn out,”

“Just like your uncle? I still was thinking he was going to shoot you some time during dinner,” Tracer put in, grinning cheekily.

McCree shook his head, “To be fair? Probably deserved that welcome for running off and never getting back to the man but we talked things over. Mostly. Hard to argue anything with a man over sixty,”

“I'm a man over sixty,” Reinhardt reminded him, giving a small chuckle, “But then, you haven't been able to argue me out of anything,”

Mercy smiled, nudging the older man lightly, “To that, I can attest,”

The small bit of conversation eased the tension somewhat although Genji didn't offer any words of his own, gripping the harness as his vision seemed to swim. His head hurt worse now as they drew closer to their target. His body felt like it was running more on autopilot than actually reacting to anything around him. 

Something at the target building was calling him, whispering of something he had to do. The mission, of course, but there almost felt like another order was clawing its way out of his mind. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sensory overload of all those voices clambering around him. How everything seemed to be grating on his nerves now-

“Here we go,” McCree warned, hunching over the wheel, “In the front door all proper like, get ready to get out and secure the front,”

 

“Whatever happens, keep on task. If we get separate, keep going for the rendezvous point at the top of this tower. That's where our final objective is,” Soldier 76 murmured, clicking the safety off his gun, sitting back, “Torbjörn will be calling the ship to that point and Hanzo should provide cover for us to get on. We don't leave anyone behind,”

Tracer took a deep breath, nodding, “Right. We win this time,”

The vehicle was blasting forward, the engine roaring and after so long, everything seemed to be moving too fast now. Genji gripped the harness latch, ready to hit it as soon as the doors opened after impacted. They had one chance to get this attack right.

If this was to be their last attack, then they would go out with all the furry Overwatch could muster. 

The front of the vehicle busted through the glass of the lower lobby, McCree,hitting the breaks as he swerved the vehicle hard, slamming the back into one of Talon's turrets, “Last stop! Everyone out!”

The doors swung open and Genji was on the move first, Tracer on his heels as they erupted into the center of the Talon defense line. The enemy soldiers barely had time to turn around before Genji was on them, cutting through their ranks with a singular purpose. He was barely aware of the others as they closed in rank behind him.

Every cut of the blade felt almost euphoric and the scent of blood in the air seemed to make his thoughts twist, becoming more hectic and chaotic. Strangely, he felt like he was absolutely free of his body as he moved in slow motion, searching out new targets. It was a feeling that was somewhat terrifying to Genji, as if something inside of him was heading off a deep end he hadn't ever thought to cross. It was a clawing blood lust that was starting to overtake his senses, demanding more violence. 

A bullet grazed his shoulder, leaving a slight mar. That small hit caused Genji to whirl abut with a snarl, seeking out to punish the one who had shot at him, whirled only for the agent that shot him to be sent flying by a hammer crashing into their midriff. The cyborg felt a sneer twist his lips, strangely upset at the kill being sent out of range, “You all right Genji?” Reinhardt asked.

“Just fine,” He murmured, turning away.

“Keep formation!” Soldier 76 hollered, “Last thing we need is-!”

The explosion rocked the room, the remaining glass blasting out and sending Genji flying. The only thing that kept him on his feet was his enhanced reflexes tucking himself into a roll and coming up ready to fight. Across the room, Reinhardt was already charging, the shock wave not powerful enough to send him off his feet. The soldier who had fired the explosive round hefted the gun higher up on their shoulder, already aiming another shot, this time towards Reinhardt.

Mercy though was at his side, keeping a steady bead on the charging man as he laughed, barreling into the second wave, “Is this all you have to offer!? A few silly explosions and barely trained whelps!? Bah! You are practically giving us victory!” he declared.

The soldier stumbled back, about to fire before they fell to the side, screaming a shot from Soldier 76 ripped through them, sending them falling to the ground. Winston moved forward, grabbing up tow of the men to send then crashing across the floor as behind him, Objector was setting up turrets in a defensive line to hold their newly acquired position. 

“Position secured!” McCree hollered, ducking down as he looked out over the cleared out lobby, “Let's get ready to-”

“The door!” Tracer called out, “It's closing!”

The large blast doors were starting to close to try and seal off the interior from the lobby. Already Reinhardt was moving forward, catching the door and with effort, starting to hold it open, “I've got it! Go!” 

On the other side of the room though, more troops stood, surrounding a large hole, already brimming with a generated charge that was being passed upwards into large conductors implanted into the ceiling. 

McCree snorted as he rushed into the room, already laying down heavy fire into the ranks of the troops there, “Seems like they changed up something in here. This doesn't look like a normal set up for a skyscraper,”

“Seems the data we got wasn't completely accurate,” Jack murmured, coming in, supporting McCree with shots of his own. 

Genji didn't say a word, darting in quickly, already seeking out more targets. With a grunt, Reinhardt let go of the door as the last agent came through, already picking up his hammer up to charge forward into the new fray.

“Looks like we have a new plan. Need to take out this and then go up together!” Tracer called out, both her guns rapidly firing, “How we going to do it?”

“Need some sort of explosion I say,” Winston answered, “and need it dropped over the pit!” 

“Then get us a bomb, doctor, I got you covered,” Soldier 76 growled.

Tracer darted over, handing to Winston one of her pulse bombs, “Will this do love?”

He smiled, ducking his head to avoid a shot as he took it, ripping up a slab of lose metal from the floor to press the bomb to the surface, “Setting it for a timer! Mercy!”

“Right!” The healer's wings lit as she took to the air, holding out her hands, ready to catch the device. Winston threw the bomb to Mercy and with a skilled twist in the air, she darted forward and over the energy sink, ducking around the last few shots fired by the enemy, teeth gritted. Genji turned from finishing off another opponent watching as the doctor got into position, her expression grim. 

As she finally reached the center of the pit, Mercy let go of the flashing bomb, turning in the air to look back. She opened her mouth to speak, smiling in triumphant, about to confirm the bomb dropped. 

That triumphant though was short lived though as a shot rang out, cracking through her wings. Genji's eyes widened and he was already moving across the floor, trying desperately to get to her but even he knew she was too far away from him. Her eyes were wide with terror as she plummeted, arms held out in a protest. 

A scream of fury ripped through the air and in a burst of fire, the jets on his back flaring up, Reinhardt charged forward, leaping after her. He tossed his hammer aside as he reached her, pulling her close to his chest as they tumbled downwards, the bomb blinking as it started to flash more, about to detonate.

The bomb kept ticking. Ticking. Ticking. A loud screech rented the air as the bomb finally went off, the entire pit filling with fire and smoke, electricity crackling as the power generator started to go off, lashing out at the conductors continuously. The whole building seemed to grown but for now, held firm at the base. Still, in that inferno, two heroes, two agents, two friends had went in.

And there was no sign of anything or anyone coming out. 

A scream worked its way out of Genji's throat as he got to the edge, staring down in disbelief, “Mercy! Reinhardt!” 

There was no time to grieve though, already the room was cleared and on both sides, blast doors were closing to try and seal them into the fiery room. Soldier 76 was already dashing to the nearest doorway, gun at the ready, “Get out of here, now!”

Genji turned, feeling almost numb as he stood there, trembling. He barely heard the orders, barely comprehending everyone rushing towards the nearest doorway to get out before finally turning on his heels, forcing himself to move, teeth gritted. Something in him was forcing him to move, some sort of drive to complete something. 

There was a mission. Something he had to do. Something that had not been accomplished yet. 

The cyborg pushed himself forward, the door before him nearly closed as he slide to his side, barely sneaking down under the door as it shut behind him.

 

He came up quickly, looking around to see Winston, Tracer off to one side, and to the other, Zenyatta, slowly hovering as he took in the new room. The scientist growled, turning to the door, banging a fist on the door, “They split us up,”

Slowly, Genji rose to his feet, looking around at the room. It was similar to the last one, the same energy sink pit at the center with energy being surged upward. He cursed silently, clenching his hands, glaring at the apparatus. There was more than one generator. The sacrifice Mercy and Reinhardt had made was for nothing.

“Communications is down,” Tracer murmured lowering her hand from the com she wore, “And what is with this setup?”

“Nothing about this place seems right,” Winston murmured, “ as if we are walking into a trap and being led around by the nose,” the scientist pushed his glasses up his nose, scowling, “And it seems they got more than one generator. We night not be able to disable this through the power supply,”

“On that, I agree on,” Genji murmured, looking around the room, “But as to your first thought, if this is a trap, then who is the mastermind?”

The sound of hands clapping cut through the room, all four of the present agents turning, their gazes rising to the causeway above. The tall figure of an omnic stood there, their posture was relaxed as they stared down at the group, lowering their hands from the applause they gave, “Well done. It is a trap. Your arrival was expected, thanks to an insider's opinion,”

“Reaper,” Winston growled, eyes narrowing.

Genji tensed, torn between lashing out at Winston for his accusation and feeling a cold dread settling inside him at the mere idea that in the end, Reaper may have betrayed them. The omnic simply laughed, turning to face them more fully, hands clasped behind his back.

“Reaper? No. He's a mercenary and not much of a talker. He tends to tells us very little about anything to be perfectly honest. No, the traitor to your cause stands in your very ranks,” The omnic extended a hand, “But where are my manners? A good host should always introduce themselves,”

“There is no need for that,” Zenyatta interrupted, rising to a near standing position, “I know who you are, Amartya,”

“Ah well, there goes the dramatic reveal I suppose,” the omnic chuckled as he tilted his head, “A pleasure to see you too Zenyatta. After all this time, you still are as I remember you,” his voice lifted almost mockingly as he raised both hands, “But I must correctly you slightly. Amartya is only part of my name now, a reminder of the past. The humans have given me the name Yut, so perhaps, Amartya Yut is a better name, yes?”

“I do not care what name you go by, murderer,” Zenyatta retorted, his anger a strike of cold lightning in the air, “It does not surprise me that one as twisted as you by hatred, incapable of comprehending any sort of emotion other than a self-serving contempt for all living things, would join with Talon!”

“Ah, you are still an impudent brat, as always Zenyatta,” Yut drawled, his tone amused, “Still thinking the world is full of goodness and everyone shall be as sweet and innocent as your naive path wishes. You are sickeningly shallow. Such weak words have no place in our world,”

Winston growled, “We don't have time for your words. You are an enemy and if you are are going to stand in our way, we will put you down! Not one of us is a traitor and all you speak to me sounds like garbage!”

Yut tilted his head, “Garbage? Oh how harsh you are. My feelings are so terribly hurt by your wit,” the sarcastic drawl only served to bristle the gorilla more although the omnic seemed to care little as he lifted a hand, “If you won't accept my word that one of you is a traitor, then allow me to demonstrate instead,”

Their tone dropped, taking a dangerous edge as he brought a single finger to press to his lips as if telling someone to hush, “I do not have time to deal with you, but I'm sure my pawn can handle this task. Genji? Take care of them. Embrace your nature,”

The words sent a jolt of pain shooting through Genji's mind as if the fog had turned into a sudden surging wave, wiping away all other thoughts other than the deeply ingrained order, finally revealed. The vague mission that had been embedded deep with his subconscious to be unleashed by the command of the implanted trigger phrase.

Kill them all.

Zenyatta whirled towards Genji, his posture tense, “Genji! You need to fight it! His words are not-”

The monk barely got out of the way as Genji's blade swung towards him, clanging off the floor as the cyborg hunched his shoulders, snarling as he came back at his teacher again, the only thought being the need to kill, the need to complete the mission and leave nothing standing before him. Tracer took a step back in alarm, eyes widening as Winston moved forward, baring his teeth. 

“Genji! Snap out if it!” The gorilla roared, “This isn't you!”

The anger though was very real in Genji. He could feel it deep inside, writhing beneath his skin as if his entire spirit was alight with the emotion. The anger, the hatred, the frustration at everything that had happened and having no outlet to unleash it. He desired then, above all else to hurt those that had hurt him. Just make everything and everyone bleed. This world wouldn't accept him. They wouldn't accept him. 

He could make them all bleed. For the dark iris. For Talon.

He pivoted quickly, his blade barely scraping against Winston's armor as the primate threw himself to the side. The sudden distraction though allowed Zenyatta to grasp on to Genji, trying to wrestle the cyborg into submission, “Genji please! I cannot hurt you! You are my student, my friend! You are stronger than this! Please!”

Genji let out a scream of a rage, lashing back, his elbows colliding hard into Zenyatta's chest causing the monk to let go, stepping back some in shock. The hit was not lethal but enough for Genji to break lose, darting forward a few paces before turning around quickly to charge back at the monk. 

Above, Amartya Yut was barely paying any attention, already turned away and casually heading towards the elevator where a few troops stood tense. Winston looked between Genji and the omnic before letting out a roar and giving chase to Yut, fury in his eyes.

“You did this to Genji and you are going to undo it now!” He roared, arching a fist back.

Just as the hit was about to land, Yut turned quickly, pivoting impossibly fast as he brought up a hand, energy surging from the palm where a glowing design of an eye was engraved. A sudden barrier rose between himself and the primate, catching him in midair. 

Winston struggled, eyes widening as he seemed to stick fast to the barrier as the omnic chuckled, “Foolish beast,” they said simply before pulling back the other hand, electricity dancing along their finger tips.

“Winston!” Tracer screamed, dashing forward bringing her weapons to line up on the omnic, unable though to get a clear shot of the enemy omnic.

Yut only glanced her way, chuckling before they thrusted their hand forward, sending the energy forward to surge into Winston's body. The gorilla let out a scream of agony before he was sent flying as the omnic put their other hand forward, appearing to push the barrier away rapidly. The force sent the scientist slamming into Tracer, sending them both flying back, skidding past where Zenyatta and Genji were locked in their struggle. 

Tracer screamed as she and Winston skidded across the floor, not losing speed until they were in open air above the drop into the inner workings of the generator below. Her hands scrapped at Winston, catching onto one of the unconscious primate's limbs as the two tumbled over the side, “Genji! Zenyatta! Help!” 

There was to be no help from either. Zenyatta was trembling, staring down his student. He looked to the side watching in horror as Tracer and Winston went over the edge, turning towards them only to dodge to the side as Genji charged him again, bringing his blade about in a deadly arc. The monk twisted, “No!” his voice quavered, helpless to help either Genji or the two agents about to plunge to their death. 

Smoke suddenly erupted from just above the ledge though, a swirling black mass quickly taking shape as a hand grabbed onto one of Winston's arm tight, metal claws digging into the armor. Tracer's eyes widened as Reaper formed, his other hand,gripped tight onto the metal floor. The metal claws of his gauntlet shrieked, leaving deep rents in the floor. He barely had brought their momentum to a stop, but even now, the weight of the two was dragging him inch by slow inch closer to the edge. Reaper snarled, struggling to hold both their weight with one arm and hold onto the ledge with the other, “Climb up!” The mercenary snarled looking back at Tracer.

Reaper's voice caused Genji's head to turn even as he was in mid swing, his heart jumping at the sight of the mercenary. He came to a halt, his blade inches from Zenyatta's exposed neck. His eyes widened and for a moment, there was a break in the control. A small window of distraction,”Reap-”

Genji's words were cut off as someone tackle into him hard from the side, bearing him to the ground. The force was enough to knock the short sword from his hand as he hit the ground, snarling.

He managed to roll onto his back, getting his feet under his attacker and kicking out. The motion was enough to send his opponent flying and quickly getting back on his feet to grab the handle of his katana, eyes widening in surprise as he saw who it was who had tackled him.

“Hanzo,” He managed in disbelief.

His brother frowned as he rose to his feet, picking up Genji's dropped short sword, “Genji. This needs to end now,”

Anger returned in force, causing him to hunch forward, the tunnel vision closing in on his brother “Hanzo, you-,” Genji snarled, drawing his sword, “So you are taking up the sword against me again?”

“I do not want to raise a sword against you, Genji,” Hanzo shouted back, “Look around you! Is this what you wanted?”

Genji spared a glance around to where Zenyatta lay, slowly pushing him up with numerous cuts along his body from close hits of Genji's blade, trying to get his feet. Then his gaze went to where Reaper was struggling to keep his grip that was slipping even as Tracer was climbing up him to get over the ledge and try to help the struggling mercenary up.

Deep inside, he knew this was not what he wanted. How could he want any of this but that single thought was crushed by his anger, whisper of hatred and reminders of what was about to happen again. Hanzo stood, a sword in hand, ready to attack.

It reminded Genji of that might long before where he stood, still completely human, staring down his brother. 

A laugh forced its way out of Genji, almost maniacal as he leaned back some on his heels, “We have come so far brother! Look! We are back to where we were years ago, just before you left me for dead!”

“Genji,” Hanzo murmured, his grip tightening on the sword, “You need to-”

“Don't tell me what I need to do, Hanzo,” Genji growled, shoulders popping briefly to release steam before locking back into place, “If this is the only path for us to meet again, then this time, I'll make sure I won't make the mistake you did. I'll make sure you are dead!” 

He came charging at Hanzo, the blade of the katana blocked barely by the shorter blade. The force of the hit was enough to jar Hanzo's arms, causing him to grimace but he pushed back, forcing his brother back, “No, this time I won't be forced by the situation! Not again!” Hanzo roared back, “This time, we both walk away, Genji! Otouto!” 

Genji snarled, coming back in for another series of hit to which Hanzo only blocked, not launching any attacks even as the movements of his brother grew more frenzied and sloppy, “Do not call me that! I am not your brother!”

“What you are becoming is not my brother! This beast of anger and rage, only capable of destruction?!” Hanzo retorted, “This is not the Genji I know, the Genji who stood against an entire clan and told us the violence needed to stop, who dared to go against traditions to show that there were other paths! Other futures! The Genji who wanted and should have been allowed to change the face of the whole clan!”

Their blades met, clashing again. Their furious battle masking the desperate situation behind of Tracer gripping onto Reaper's forearm, trying to pull him up even as he was starting to slip. Zenyatta was there now, doing his best to help only able to keep Reaper from slipping further for now. The monk's entire form crackled with electricity from the cuts, struggling to try and save Reaper and the groaning Winston as he slowly came to. 

Neither brother though seemed aware of the situation, neither one taking their attention off each other, the two engaged in a deadly, familiar dance again. All that Genji felt was a storm of conflicted emotions burning within him.

“Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! You don't know me!You never knew me! You killed me!” Genji screamed, his voice starting to crack as a war of emotions played in his mind. Pain, hurt, and hatred warring with a rising sadness and the deep ache of missing his brother and the feeling of love Hanzo's words were touching upon. The pride in which he spoke of him, after all these years was tearing through Genji.

His breathing felt so labored as the strikes against Hanzo became more desperate, almost like that of a novice just learning how to handle a sword, “Just let me kill you!” Genji managed out in a broken sob, stepping back, “Your words are lies!”

Hanzo stepped back, lowering his sword and staring Genji down, “Is that what you think,otouto? Fine,” he dropped the sword he held in his hands to the ground and spread his arms wide, “You once said you forgave me and all this time I doubted it. I doubted it until I saw your face when I nearly died. What I saw then was you, my brother, otouto, little sparrow,”

Genji flinched, trembling as he stared at Hanzo who in that moment seemed to stand taller, eyes fixed on the cyborg with a conviction that had been absent in his brother since they had met again. No longer tired or defeated, he stared Genji down, the guilt melting away to reveal the dragon beneath the rags, “If you think all my words are lies, if you think that you are not my brother, then end this now Genji. Kill me. Run me right through and prove that our kinship is over. That the past was meant to repeat and end like this,” His voice was trembling, shaking with emotion as his eyes softened, “If this is what you want, then it is your right to take my life,”

His brother did not look away and Genji felt his form trembling, his mind reeling, struggling against the howling pain in his mind that wanted him to do just that. It would be easy to kill Hanzo for what he had done. He deserved it. No one who could murder their own brother deserved mercy.

But if he did murder Hanzo, did that make him any better?

Genji charged forward, blade coming up and a scream ripping from him as he plunged it forward, the confusing storm of emotions breaking the fog in his mind. His eyes had closed as he stood there trembling, the blade thrust forward, just barely missing Hanzo's chest, having passed just close enough to clip the clothing. He was shaking, head bowed and every breath was a labor to take. Hanzo had not moved an inch as the blade came, not once taking his eyes off his brother. Now he raised his hands to rest on the shoulders of his brother.

“Its time to let go, Genji,” he whispered before pulling his brother into a tight hug, “Let's change history this once rather than repeat it. This time, we both walk away, still brothers. Still family,” 

Those words shattered everything. Genji let out a choked sob before clutching onto his brother, his legs giving way as he sagged against Hanzo. The elder did not let go, wrapping his arms tighter about his brother, refusing to let go.

“A-anija,” Genji managed out, digging his fingers into the cloth of his brother's outfit, “I'm... I-”

“You don't need to apologize,” Hanzo murmured, “I need to. I need to apologize for everything. For everything I did, everything I said, for being late. You were in over your head again and I was neglecting the only duty to the clan that ever mattered,” his hug tightened, “Keeping you safe,”

Genji let out a broken laugh, shaking his head, “I could have killed you though,”

Hanzo gave a smile,moving to put his hand on Genji's shoulders, taking a step back, “You? Genji, even under mind control, that is the one thing I know you could never do. You could never harm those you love. Speaking of which,”

The elder Shimada looked to the side and Genji followed his gaze before his eyes widened,stumbling back to his feet to move over to where Tracer and Zenyatta were, gripping onto Reaper's arm and pulling hare, “Sorry!”

“N-n-no worries!” Tracer responded, nervously laughing as they finally pulled Reaper and Winston over the edge. 

The mercenary was quick to let go of Winston, growling as he rubbed his arm, “Damn monkey needs to go on a diet,” he spat.

“Athena keeps saying that,” Tracer gave a small smile, looking down at the ground, “ Thank you by the way. You saved our lives. I mean, after what we said and did- just thank you,”

“I didn't do it to save you,” Reaper murmured, glancing to Genji, “I did it for someone else and their peace of mind,”

Genji bowed to the mercenary before he turned to Zenyatta, pressing his palms together and bowing deeper, “Master I'm sorry. I.... I'm sorry I tried to-”

“It was not your doing, Genji,” Zenyatta said gentle, “It was the work of that fallen one's wicked power upon your mind,”

Tracer looked to the closed elevator door as she rose to her feet, “That Amartya guy?”

Reaper crossed his arms, tilting his head, “He brainwashes people, either temporary or long term. Depends on the time frame he has them in,”

Winston groaned as he sat up slowly, looking bleary around before his gaze settled on Reaper, “What? What is-”

“Long story short, Reaper told me of Genji's condition and I let him out and we came to offer our assistance,” Hanzo answered, crossing his arms, “Just like we should have been here to begin with,”

“And he just saved us Winston. One arm catch! I didn't know you were that strong, Gabriel!”Tracer proclaimed, smiling at the mercenary. 

Reaper gave a shrug, turning away, “What now?”

Winston rose with a wince to his feet, looking around at the group, “Well, we should meet up with the others. No doubt our unwelcome omnic guest will be giving them trouble if they get their first. With how many generators they may have, just because we took out one, the device is probably nearing full charge as is,”

Zenyatta gave a nod, “We need to move with all haste then,”

“Well, right now our options are the stairs if we can find them. Doubt the elevators will be working,” Tracer murmured.

“Has to be a better way,” Genji murmured, “Running up two hundred of flights of stairs to get to the top doesn't seem very appealing,”

Tracer gave a faint laugh, “I think we would all be rather tired,”

The omnic monk tilted his head, looking towards the elevator, “How about we take the same route as the enemy? At the very least, they might have assumed our demise and kept them activated,” 

“Worth a try?” Genji moved over to the door, pressing the button.

The elevator light began to flash as it rapidly descended, Tracer moving to help Winston limb forward, still shaken from the attack. The gorilla shook his head, frowning deeply, “Who was that omnic anyways? You seemed to have been familiar with him,”

Zenyatta's shoulders tensed as he kept his eyes ahead on the door, “Amartya. Once a monk of the Shambali. We had been told he had been executed in Thailand for the countless murders he committed,”

Tracer looked over at Zenyatta, eyes widening, “you... know him?”

“I met him only once, when I was a young, young monk. He used to be one of my teachers,” Zenyatta glanced away, “Only for two months before he was banished. At the time, I did not know why he had been turned away from the order. When I was inducted into the senior ranks, only then was the truth made known to me,”

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. The sight that greeted them was a picture of macabre horror that was on par with the worse of crime scenes.

The guards were all dead, every single one burst open and the smell of roasted flesh was overwhelming. Tracer stepped back, covering her mouth, her face going a pale. Winston took a step back, his own eyes wide as he turned away, heaving some as if he was about to vomit. Genji was more than thankful for the filter of his mask given how even his brother, someone use to death winced, covering his mouth at the smell.

Zenyatta looked away, shoulders tensing, “Amartya was banished from the monastery for taking innocent lives. A few traders who would visit the monastery vanished from their beds and were found strewn over the mountainside. It was thought to be an accident but Amartya told of his crime to Mondatta. He hates humanity and it seems even now, he has no care for human life. Not even that of his own allies,”

“Then why would he want the harpy discruptor?” Tracer looked around at everyone, trembling, “Why would he want a device that kills omnics?”

“Because he doesn't want to kill omnics,” Hanzo murmured, “He is looking to start a second crisis, a new war between omnics and humans. He is looking to wipe out everyone in this city,”

Genji clenched his hands and stepped into the elevator, keeping his eyes up and off the mess, glancing back at the others, “We need to get up there and take that device out. If Jack, Jesse, and Torbjörn are already up there, they will need us,”

Winston took a shuddering breath, nodding as he moved forward, covering his mouth, “Fare warning, I might ah-”

“You won't be the only one Winston,”Tracer murmured, closing her eyes tight as she stepped into the elevator. Reaper just gave a snort, not at all phased as he entered, a silent shadow in the group. 

Hanzo and Zenyatta quickly filed in next, the older Shimada reaching to press the button for the top floor, “We do not only need to stop the device, we need to stop this Amartya,”

“I will handle him. His hypnotic technique, I believe may be weaker against another omnic than it would a human. At least, this is what I assume,” Zenyatta murmured.

Winston nodded, one hand covering his mouth as the elevator lurched upwards, “I agree. We will need to study this technique he uses and see about creating some sort of immunity to his mind control,” his eyes slid to Genji, “Are you still-”

“It broke,” Genji assured him, “I know what it feels like and for the first time since, I can actually remember things, although there are still some gaps. I'm feeling better and not about to insult anyone, I can assure you. What I want to know is that I have this suspicion that you knew I was under his influence, Reaper. Why did you not tell me?”

The mercenary glanced away, “I didn't know if there was a trigger,” he murmured, “That if someone told you that you were mind controlled, you would kill yourself or attack then and there. I've seen it before,”

Genji closed his eyes nodding. He stepped closer to the mercenary, reaching out to slip his hand into one of Reaper's own, squeezing it, “But you came to get me, didn't you?”

“I told you, if you went, this mission becomes my own, even if I still think it is pointless,” he murmured, “And although I trust you to come back, I'd rather make sure you came back,”

Winston gave a slight huff, taking off his glasses, trying to busy himself with cleaning them off and ignore the gore they stood in, “Regardless of your past actions and your continuing pessimism... thank you. For saving my life,”

Reaper tilted his head, regarding the gorilla silent before looking away, shoulders hunching some, “Whatever,”

Genji smiled some, gripping onto the hand of his lover tight, just glad to have that contact even as they drew closer to what may possibly be their deaths. 

For the first time, they were starting to feel more like a group.

The elevator dinged, opening up to reveal an empty hallway that led to a small door, already blasted off its hinges and the familiar sound of gun fire going off rapidly as if from a turret. Hanzo had drawn his bow from his shoulder, two arrows already knocked to it as he glanced to the others, “Keep close,”

He moved forward, his feet barely making a sound as he came to the doorway, peering out, “Two turrets at the far side. The device is to the left, up on the next level. Roof is exposed,”

Winston came up beside him, peering out with a frown, “Its charged. There is enough power in that to unleash a devastating charge if the switch is thrown at this point. We need to move fast. Do you see our team?”

“Pinned over there,” Tracer murmured, pointing to the far end. 

Genji tensed, glancing back at the elevator the doors closed and it started to descend, “And we better move because I think we have friends that are about to take the express elevator up after us,”

“Right,” Tracer drew her weapons again, taking a deep breath, “Let's go!”

“Keep close and take out as many as you can. We have the element of surprise in this first charge,” Hanzo murmured before he stepped out, already starting to fire into the enemy soldiers before them.

As soon as the first arrow hit, the defending Talon soldiers turned, clearly surprised and scrambling to get weapons up, only to be overrun by the new front. Others were in retreat, pulling closer to the stairwells that lead up to the pulsating device on the level above, the top of it already crackling with unspent energy. At its base as a control console where a scientist of some sort seemed to be scrambling to get it ready with the familiar looming figure of Amartya Yut standing behind them, hands clasped behind them, completely at ease despite the attack going on.

“Fancy meeting you lot here!” A familiar voice hollered, McCree waving a hand their way, “Get lost?”

“Had a few stops!” Tracer responded with a small laugh, ducking behind cover nearer to where he was, “And picked up some familiar faces,”

The cowboy jumped as Reaper appeared behind him, mowing down a few agents before glancing to McCree, “Pay attention brat,” he growled before vanishing again.

“Do I want to know why he is here?” McCree asked, glancing to Genji as he ducked down beside him.

“Long story. I'll explain after we win this,” The cyborg assured him, patting a shoulder, “We need to get to the device now,”

Zenyatta ducked down beside Genji, looking to his student as he glanced around the side, “Genji, I need you to cover me. We need to get to Amartya. I can distract him long enough, hopefully, for the device to get shut down,” 

The cyborg nodded, putting a hand on his master's shoulder even as he crouched, ready to charge, “Don't hesitate to take him down, master,”

“I will not,” He murmured, “He is by no means an innocent or someone who regrets any deed he has wrought,”

The two charged forward, breaking rank as they came towards the device's base, the few soldiers left trying to put up a final valiant front. Bullets were whizzing by Genji and Zenyatta as they made their way rapidly forward. Genji's blade was flashing as he sent bullets flying back although a few still grazed metal plating, letting out loud metal pings. The fire fight though faded quickly as the attackers let out sudden cries of alarm, Reaper suddenly in their midst, shotguns going off at point blank range into the skulls of the agents. 

Ahead, the target was only a few paces and the scientist looked up, eyes wide in alarm. Amartya just lazily turned, tilting his head and chuckling before turning to the control pad, reaching pass the scientist to press a few keys. The device flared, letting out a shrieking alarm before a barrier starting to drop down around the area to seal off the two from the fight.

“No!” Zenyatta dropped to his feet completely, breaking into a run and dropping low in a slide, just barely getting pass the barrier. 

“Master!” Genji shouted, sliding to a halt at the edge of the barrier. He slammed a fist against it, watching as the monk continued forward up the stairs and to the platform, dead set on facing the fallen monk whatever the cost. 

Quickly, Genji turned to look towards the others. The last bit of Talon's defense force was dispatched and already they were en route. A small surge of hope filled Genji as he gestured to the barrier, “Winston! Torbjörn! They've dropped a shield. Think you can get it down?”

“On it!” Winston called, already ripping his own shield device free of his arm and starting to mess with it, “If I can calibrate my own generator to the right wavelength, I could cancel out their barrier and let us in,”

“Hurry!” Genji turned back, watching his master reach the top of the stairs and take a fighting stance , his new orbs dancing about him ready for the fight to come. 

The taller omnic turned to face Zenyatta, letting his shoulders roll back some as he tilted his head to regard the monk, “Ah, Zenyatta. You've come to speak in person. My have you grown though! Last I saw of you, you were nothing but a dithering newly awakened omnic, barely even able to voice your own name,”

“Much has changed,” Zenyatta responded, “But the past matters not to me, not when right now, you threaten the lives of so many and threaten the very world with war,”

“Ah, a moving lecture. Something I'm sure that fool Mondatta would have been proud of if he was still among us. Really it is a shame you must force my hand, Zenyatta. You had potential if you could overcome that flawed love of humans,” The stance of the omnic changed as he took a fighting stance of his own, “But come now, if your path is the true one to the iris, then you should be able to prove your piety. Show me the conviction of your teachings, novice,”

It was a rare sight to see the omnic monk, usually so peaceful, suddenly on the attack, charging towards the fallen monk, his orbs shooting out ahead. Amartya didn't move an inch, his poise tensed, but with no hint of doubt. There was no fear. When he did move, it was not some grand gesture, but simply a minor shift a few inches to the right to dodge the incoming orb, turning slightly to catch it with one hand as if the action took no effort, “Really? This is your attack? This is rather disappointing Zenyatta. You hesitate too much. Does compassion make you unable to fight? If you are going to create a path for others to take, you must follow it without fear!”

As Zenyatta closed in, raising a hand in an attack, utilizing his more martial self defense talents, Amartya ducked in low, coming in for a powerful hit. The monk barely blocked it and with a cry, quickly launched another flurry of attacks.

“Compassion is a harder path to tread than wanton, pointless destruction like you preach!” Zenyatta retorted, “What good will all this death do?!”

A laugh escaped Amartya as he almost lazily seemed to dodge, “It is not pointless. Its a cleansing. Humanity created the omnics and we are simply the next step in evolution, the new species meant to wipe out the human sickness and recreate a new world,” His words were said calmly, almost as if he was chiding an unruly child, “It is foolish omnics like you that think humanity still has a place alongside us that are the true pointless appendages of the perfect omnic society within the iris,”

His words made Genji shudder, looking to where Winston was working as quickly as he could with Torbjörn's help. They were doing all they could but still, Genji feared it wasn't fast enough and that his master, despite his skills, was going against a foe that was a lot stronger than they realized.

A lot more dangerous. 

The two omnics were still clashing sparks flying at each hard hit of metal against metal, two of Zenyatta's orbs crushed already by the unrelenting power of Yut. . His reflexes were quick and precise, moving only enough to dodge a hit as if he knew it was coming. The confidence about him held no doubt of what motion he had to make, as if before the fight began, he knew he was already the victor. He believed himself to be the victor to not be distracted by any other emotion. With that realization though, with how lazily he was acting, a grim realization dawned on Genji.

Yut was toying with Zenyatta. A sick game that would last for however long the twisted omnic was amused. 

“We need to get in there, now,” Genji looked to the two scientists, his voice taking on an edge of panic, “He's going to-”

A loud crash filled the air as Zenyatta let out a cry, stumbling back as the plating of his chest was crushed in, nearly knocked completely off and starting to hang off his slumping form. Yet even more alarming was that Amartya did not pause his attack,striking twice more to put Zenyatta off balance before getting behind the monk to grip both Zenyatta's arms firmly. With almost a casual grace, he wretched both arms back at an unnatural angle, nearly pulling both out of the sockets earning another cry from Zenyatta, “This is really sad to be quiet honest. I expected s much more out of Mondatta's best student. His hope for this world. It seemed he put his faith for change and compassion into the hands of a child in the end,” 

Zenyatta growled, shoulders hunching as he struggled in the grip of the other omnic, “Don't you dare speak his name! He put his faith in all the world, not just one individual! His piety was far beyond whatever you believe you have!”

“Oh?” Amartya pause whirling about to slam Zenyatta into the nearby wall, still gripping one arm, the other cruelly digging fingers into the back of the monk's neck. He leaned in, almost as if he was trying to detect something, the lights upon his face flashing, “Ah, so that is how it is! I knew you felt almost familiar, just a bit of a signal that wasn't quiet yours. Something... shared most intimately,”

He laughed, a deep, chilling sound as his grip on Zenyatta's arm tightened to the point the fingers were digging into sensitive circuits, “You've fallen from the path! All this time you desired, you abandoned your own teachings! Oh this is rich, Mondatta's little pride and joy he let go off into the world came back to corrupt his virtue. I know I should have realized that you and that fool had-”

A roar ripped from Zenyatta as he pivoted sharply, swinging his free hand to strike at Amartya. The attack seemed to, for the first time, take the fallen omnic off balance. Something in those words struck hard at Zenyatta, invoking a rage Genji had never seen in the monk as he lashed out but in rage. Yut was put on the defensive, stepping back as the monk came at him, impassioned and lashing out with everything he had.

Still, it was not enough. After the initial few hits, Amartya struck back just as rapidly, shocks of electrical, blue energy surging up his hands as he hit, driving Zenyatta back again. 

With a final step back, he pivoted to bring a foot around in savage kick before latching onto one of Zenyatta's arms again, yanking him forward and then planting the foot into the back of the monk, and with a resounding crack, pulled Zenyatta's arm off completely. The monk fell to his knees with a digital shriek of pain, his hand rising to cover the stump already ejecting the liquid that served as omnic blood onto the ground as the wound began to seal itself off. Electricity crackled from the wound as Amartya casually tossed the limb aside, turning his back on Zenyatta, “In the end, you have no conviction and your path is as weak as your logic. You have not found your path as much as you preach. You are a case of the blind leading the blind as the humans say,”

The fallen monk stalked across the way even as Winston let out a sound of triumph, the shield barrier shimmering and starting to fall. There was no rush, no fear in the steps of Yut as he approached the device, even though his enemies were at his heels now, charging in. 

Genji rushed to Zenyatta's side, cradling his master close as he looked up, the others training their weapons on the enemy as the shield dropped completely. 

Amartya turned around, tilted his head, “Such heroes,” he mocked raising a hand to touch the side of the harpy disruptor as it crackled with energy, ignoring the wide eyed look of the scientist, “Too bad, like Zenyatta, your path is flawed,”

“Back away from the device,” Jack growled, “You lost,”

“Ah, too bad life does not work like comic books,” Yut sighed, shaking his head as his hands gripped into the device, “And too bad for you, keeping this device in good working order is not a priority for my plan,”

The monk reared his hand back and punched into the side of the device, pulling out a wire, the whole thing shuddering and starting to spark, more power surging through it and the whole floor seemed to quake as he let go. The scientist let out a scream of shock, looking to Amartya as if to protest only to scream louder as the omnic unleashed a torrent of energy into their body, reducing them to a bloody mess similar to those bodies in the elevator.

Jack snarled, charging towards the omnic who quickly raised both hands, pulling up a barrier, launching it into the shoulder and slamming him back into the group, “The detonation will be soon so I suggest, if you wish to truly stop me, you run. Run away to fight another day,” Yut mocked.

He stepped back, spreading his arms as a hail of bullets came towards him, raising a barrier of crackling energy between himself and the attackers. If an omnic could smirk, there would be one on the smooth metal of his face.

“So, is this all you have, heroes? Is this all that is-” He turned sharply as the metal of the wall beside him burst open, a roar of challenging filling the air as a beaten, battered, half armored Reinhardt pushed forward his hammer swinging in a smooth arch to catch Amartya hard in the chest and send the omnic flying across the room, skittering along before bringing himself to a stop, just before he wet over the edge of the skyscraper.

True rage for the first time was present in Amartya from how stiff his posture was as he turned to look at where Reinhardt was. The older man wheezed, dropping to his knees as he shook his head, “I always hated villain speeches,” he growled out. 

“Reinhardt!” Tracer yelled, rushing over to him. Just behind Reinhardt, Mercy stepped forward, half her armor blacked and her blond hair smoldered in spots, but under the smudge caking her face, she was smiling tiredly as well.

Genji stared, wide-eyed, feeling a sense of relief at seeing her as he clutched the wounded Zenyatta close. Tracer wasted no time though in dashing to her side, moving to support her as she stumbled forward some, “Mercy! How are you- you are alive!”

“Reinhardt got his shield up and it took most of the blast,” Mercy managed, “We got to the elevator and just prayed we could get to the rendezvous point in time or at least provide support,”

“You came just in time to help us finish off this jackass and then deal with this device that is about to go meltdown,” McCree murmured, raising his gun, “Time to put this bastard in the grave,”

Amartya was on his feet now, shaking his head, “Well then. I suppose then it is time to take my exit. I wonder though, what you will do now?” He asked, tilting his head before stepping back over the edge without warning.

McCree snarled and unleashed a few shots to try and hit the fallen monk before he vanished out of sight. Yet over the din of the harpy disruptor starting to overload, blaring alarms as it slowly began to slide towards a critical system failure, The hum of engines could be heard as a vehicle rose up. Standing on its top was Amartya, giving one last, almost smug tilt of the head before he moved to drop down into the vehicle as it turned in midair before blasting off and well out of harms way.

He had made good his escape. 

Genji gritted his teeth, clutching Zenyatta close in his arms and looking at the others and then to the sparking blaring machine behind them about to meltdown and take out the whole city. It was the reactor plant all over again. Even with all their might brought together, they had not been able to stop Talon, not been able to stop the mad omnic who had forced them into this corner. 

“We need to dismantle and disarm that thing!” Jack hollered, rising slowly to his feet. 

Torbjörn shook his head, “We do that, it might just accelerate things faster!” He shouted, rushing to the control panel, “Its a technical error, not some sort of programming one! That mad omnic knew exactly what he was doing to sabotage this thing!”

The diminutive man shook his head, slamming a fist on the panel, “Nothing I can do! This thing is going to blow in fifteen minutes and take Santa Fe with it!”

Everything around them seemed to grow louder and Genji felt the energy of the air practically choking him as he tensed, starting at the device, holding Zenyatta close and feeling utterly helpless again.

They stood on the cusp of a tragedy and yet, despite everything, their hands were tied. Genji's grip tightened on his teacher as he rose to his feet, holding him close. 

“We have to do something!”He yelled, “We didn't do all this to give up now!”

Above them, the device crackled more, energy lashing about making the whole building start to quake more as it began to become too unstable to hold the massive amount of power about to be unleashed.

Any hope there was to be had, stood on the edge of the razor, about to shatter into oblivion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious, Amaryta Yut's is a combination of the Nepalese name Amartya (immortal) and the Thai name Yut (war). Literally his name means "Immortal War". I did this to reflect that he may have come from the Shambali, but actually spent most of his time and energy in Thailand. Just a thing to know for the curious c:


	13. Diverging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, the final chapter of this wild ride. It seems unreal that this story only started a few months ago and is not ending. I think this is the longest work on the archive now XD; 
> 
> I want to sincerely thank everyone who left kudos and comments which kept me going and pushing to finish this story. It meant so much and it is that reason that kept me writing and bringing this to the end. Thank you everyone and thank you for supporting my writing, be it here or on my tumblr, sending prompts for the short written pieces. I only hope I can continue to keep bringing you fanfiction content to enjoy <3 
> 
> See you at the next story!
> 
> (Note: Since this is only 8000ish words, didn't break it into smaller version. Was having hard time getting tumblr to post things/bad net :I )

The very air seemed to burn with energy now as the disruptor began to fail, the base of the device sizzling as small cracks in the casing began to spread. The entire scene looked like something out of a horror movie, the power surging all around, heating the air and below, a city slept, unaware of the Armageddon about to unleash. 

Genji clutched Zenyatta close, teeth gritted as he looked at the device. There would be a time though to panic later, right now, what they needed was to pull off a miracle. 

“We need a plan! A quick one!” he shouted, “What do we got?”

Winston pushed up his glasses eyes wide in alarm before his expression hardened, “We need to get it out of here. Maybe we can load it into the ship and get it out of the city center and someplace where the explosion will cause far less damage,”

“Could work,” Torbjörn murmured, already lifting one arm to quickly tap in the auto controls to bring the vehicle to them, “The only problem is we are going to be on manual. That much electrical output is going to fry a few navigation systems and eventually all systems and in a short period of time I might add,”

“Alright then! We have a plan!” Tracer declared, eyes narrowed, “Let's pick it up and haul it out then!” 

The gorilla shook his head, looking at the others as the sound of the incoming jet's engines filled the air, “Even if we get it out of the city, once it goes off, it is going to take the ship and any surrounding area out. We won't make it to the ocean to detonate it safely, let alone escape the blast radius,” 

 

Genji let out a frustrated growl at the news as he helped Zenyatta up, the monk leaning heavily against his side. He looked between everyone in the group as the ship came to a halt above, the lower pod doors opening and hooks dropping down to grip onto the sparking device. Hanzo frowned, eyes narrowing, “Perhaps we should not go horizontal but go vertically. At a high enough altitude, it should not cause any damage. Does the ship not have shields that could be put up to try and contain the explosion?”

Winston blinked, looking at the elder Shimada with an almost surprised look before nodding, “That could work, yes. I could reverse the shield output on the ship, thus containing the explosion for a short time and if done at a great height, you are right. It could negate all damage of the device other than some debris fallout,” 

“Then what we are we waiting for?” McCree asked, already turning towards the ship, “Let's get on and get going!” 

Mercy was already helping Reinhardt to the ship as it lowered more, extending a lift down, the older man limping, wincing in obvious pain with each step. What was left of his armor clung to parts of him, blackened and twisted in places. It was really a miracle he was still on his feet but then, the old man still had a will as formidable as the hammer he wielded. Genji quickly moved to cradle Zenyatta close to his body as he followed after them, pausing only to scoop up his master's arm. 

“I'm sorry I failed,” The monk murmured, the lights dim upon his face, “I underestimated his abilities and thus caused this whole incident to take place. If only-”

“You did fine, master. More than fine. I doubt any of us could have held out as long as you did against his power,” Genji gently murmured, quickly following after the others entering the ship, “You've given us a chance of still pulling off this mission master,” 

Zenyatta bowed his head, shame still clinging to his form as all around, other members of the team doing their part to help as the device was pulled into the belly of the ship and the pod doors closing behind it. 

Torbjörn quickly moved to the doors, frowning as he began welding the bay doors shut to ensure the device stayed tucked inside even as its powerful surges lashed out, causing the metal to groan in protest, but hold for now. Genji only prayed they would hold long enough. He moved up the walkway, eyes trained ahead.

“We won't let him win, master. His words are nothing but lies meant to break our faith in ourselves,” Genji said, trying to comfort his master, “That is all they are,” 

Zenyatta gave a small laugh, shaking his head, “But he is right about some things,” He murmured softly, “He is right about my path. I- I have been weak, I've lacked the conviction that Mondatta had with his own, that Amarya has with his-”

“You have something better master,” Genji interrupted as he stepped into the ship after his brother, “You have heart. You have understanding of those you wish to bridge the gap with. You have a sense of compassion master that is stronger than any dogmatic conviction,”

The monk glanced away, head bowed, as he raised one arm up to touch the stump lightly, “Your words honor me Genji,” he murmured.

“Everyone's on!” Soldier 76 shouted as he stepped on, just after Reaper ghosted pass, the mercenary looking agitated and somewhat more jumpy, “What's the next phase of this scheme?”

Reaper gave a snort, stalking towards the front of the ship, “Whatever it is, can we do it quickly?”

“Do you actually care Reyes or is it something else?” McCree drawled, pushing his hat up to squint at the mercenary. 

“The energy in the air is uncomfortable to be around,” The mercenary growled, turning to regard Winston, “What now, ape,”

Winston gave a slight snort, turning away, “At least you are putting my species in the right category at least,” he murmured before pushing up his glasses, “Next step is simple enough. After I calibrate the shields, we evacuate and set the auto-pilot to take this ship up skyward, clearing at least to the upper most portion of the stratosphere to detonate,”

“Yeah, only one problem with that,” Torbjörn growled as he stomped quickly to the helm, “The autopilot is off so it won't keep going up unless a pair are keeping it level. Somone to watch the energy levels and another to keep it going up,”

The stocky built man continued to hurry forward, gripping onto the wheel to urge the ship forward, Winston following, concern clear on his face. Reaper regarded the pair silently before growling and stalking after them, Hanzo, Soldier 76, and McCree on his heels. Genji felt a sudden tension rise in his body. Carefully, he let Zenyatta down, the monk swaying some on his feet, but more or less balanced, gingerly taking his arm from the cyborg.

“You should go with them to see what can be done. I'll be fine here,” The monk murmured, “It seems Mercy is taking Reinhardt to the escape pod area to prepare for departure at the earliest convenience. Given my own state, well, I am not much use,”

“You have done enough master. Do not think you are, by any means useless,” Genji murmured, touching his master's shoulder before glancing over his shoulder, “Tracer, could you aid Angela, Reinhardt, and Zenyatta?”

The young woman blinked before giving a nod, zipping over to offer a shoulder of support to the monk, “Not a problem Genji. Really, I should be getting out of here soon,” she winced, one hand touching her chronal accelerator , “That device is causing this to mess up all sorts of wrong now,”

“If all goes well, we should be gone soon, I hope,” Genji murmured, turning to quickly head to the bridge. 

Winston was already at work as Torbjörn pushed the ship forward, keeping it steady for now,frowning, “I can get us just out of range of the city proper, but you better work quick, Winston. That thing is destabilizing faster. Wet got fifteen minutes before it is going to blow its top and that's being generous with the estimation,”

“Nearly got it,” Winston murmured, fingers flying over the keys, “This would be much faster if I had Athena's help. I'm glad though I left her AI in the computer or we would be losing someone else with the ship,”

“Someone else? Who are we losing?” Genji growled, glancing around.

McCree gave a slight frown, “According to the good scientist and mechanic here, someone has to keep the ship pointing up while the rest evacuate,”

“Two people,” Torbjörn corrected, scowling, “Someone on the wheel and someone watching the power levels and making sure the power flow keeps to the shields and engines until the last possible minute,”

“Technically survival is possible, if the ship is abandoned at the right time,” Winston murmured, “Depending on the person doing it but ah, the probability is not a large number,”

“I can do it,” Reaper growled out, causing the group to turn and look at him, “I can survive it. Not to mention I know how to jump out of an airplane to parachute down,”

Jack crossed his arms, letting out a slight sigh, “Even after putting you in prison for not trusting you, you still show up to do your part and now to risk your life. You are a hard man to predict, Gabe,”

“Reaper. My name is Reaper,” The mercenary growled turning his back to them to look out the window, “And you are wasting time. Who's staying?”

“I will,” Hanzo said, shooting a slight glare to the rest of the group, daring to say something, “Most of you are wounded or have someone to take care of,”

A frown touched McCree's lips, “Hanzo, you got-”

The ship lurched groaning and Reaper let out a growl shoving Torbjörn aside to take the wheel, “We don't have time for this shit. Get evacuated already,”

“Come on,” Winston murmured, touching McCree's shoulder. The cowboy scowled, his hands balling up into fists before he let out a frustrated sigh, allowing the scientist to lead him away although the reluctance was clear in his stance.

Genji frowned some at his brother, “So, trying to kill yourself again, are we Hanzo? You won't at least see me off?”

The elder looked to his brother, the frown still creasing his lips before letting out a sigh. He gave a nod to Reaper before following Genji and the others to the evacuation pods, “I'm only going to make sure everyone gets off and doesn't try to sneak aboard,”

“Of course,” Genji answered, crossing his arms. 

Zenyatta, Tracer, Reinhardt, and mercy were already in a pod, while in the one beside it, Jack, McCree, Winston, and Torbjörn were crowding in. Genji stood at the entrance to the first one, turning to his brother, spreading his arms, “Give me a hug?”

“We don't have time for this,” Hanzo murmured but reluctantly leaned in to do so.

Genji gave a slight smile as he wrapped his arms about his brother loosely, “I'm sorry brother,”

Hanzo jerked at those words, trying to pull back only to find Genji's grip tightened. Quickly, the cyborg turned around, switching their positions and shoved Hanzo into the pod where he sprawled out over Tracer's lap, eyes wide before they narrowed in anger. Genji didn't miss a beat, slamming the door key, sealing the pod shut and keeping Hanzo trapped with the others within. The expression of fury on Hanzo's face was met by a smile from Genji and a wave farewell before the cyborg pushed the launch button, sending the pods away and to safety. 

The moment Hanzo had volunteered, Genji had already made up his mind to make sure his brother wouldn't get his death wish. Not now when they had finally come to an understanding as brothers once more. 

Hanzo might be trying to end his life and pay for his past by putting himself into these dangerous situations, but Genji was not about to let him think he can get away with this. If anyone could survive this next leg, Geni was certain his unique biology was a little more suited for the task than a simple human. Metal was a lot more durable than flesh. 

He heading back to the bridge at a sprint, darting in and up beside Reaper, giving a slight smile to the mercenary as he moved to take his position, “Time to bring her up,”

Reaper gave a chuckle, “He's going to be pissed at you,”

“Rather his anger than a bloody smear of a brother,” Genji said, loading up the calibrated shield controls with one hand, the other working on keeping the power flows of the ships on target, “Everything so far is holding stable,” 

Reaper pulled at the controls, bringing the ship up into a sharp ascension, nodding, “Then let's get this over with,” he growled as if he was doing some simple task and not one that could potentially end their lives. 

The hull groaned with protest, electricity coursing through systems as the harpy disruptor in the belly of the ship grew more unstable, warnings blaring that it needed to be dropped but with the doors welded, those emergency systems couldn't be enacted. The ship was a ticking time bomb and the timer was running out quickly. Genji kept his grip, the magnetic adherence within his feet activating to help keep him upright as he continued to monitor the systems, eyes narrowed behind his visor.

“Diverting all emergency power to engines and shields. Generator three is down though and two is barely holding on,” Genji reported, “We got at least five more minutes of thrust by system report estimates here,” 

Reaper let out a slight growl, arms tensed to keep the ship level and on its path upward as metal crunched and squealed and parts of the ship started to pull off from the sides. They had only one shot to get this right and get off before they were both dead men. At least, deader men given both of them had already skipped the grave at least once. 

The ship lurched under them and Genji had to grip at the console hard as he sunk back in the chair, the force enough to knock him off his feet as the whole ship rattled, sounding like it was screaming as it continued to shoot upwards. Reaper's hand were tight on the wheel as he glanced towards Genji, “When I say go, you go,”

“We go together. I'm not going anywhere until you are there pushing me out,” The cyborg retorted, reaching to grasp his hand tightly, “If we are going to fall, we do it together this time,”

That earned a soft laugh from Reaper as he took one hand off the wheel to grasp Genji's hand tightly, “It is going to be a long fall back. Might be some issues with the cold if you can't keep insulated,”

“I can seal my form up,” Genji assured him, “I was made to be able handle work in a vacuum. Guess the higher ups at one point thought they were going to put me into space,”

“Probably for would be attacks on he lunar base that was lost,” Reaper murmured, “But keep it sealed. Did you happen to see if we have any parachutes?”

“In here? Only the one there by the door. I guess Torbjörn hadn't considered someone would jump out the side rather than take a pod. Or at least figured not more than one person would ever need to jump,” Genji glanced to Reaper, “You take it. I don't have any training in that realm and I doubt Hollywood movies count as experience,”

Reaper gave a nod, “Just hold onto me then when it is time to leap,”

The ship was shuddering harder now, warning bells flaring as the energy started to overload more systems. The engines were still screaming and the shields were still ready to be flipped. The air was alive, crackling and already the stench of burned electronics was filling the air. There were fires on the ship in the lower decks, starting to turn it into a dying phoenix about to give its final shriek. 

Genji's fingers flew over the controls as he turned to Reaper, “Engines are about to fail. You are going to hear a few more sputters and then it is going to be heading down again,” He warned.

Already, the forward momentum of the ship was beginning to dwindle even as the mercenary fought to kep it pointing skyward towards the endless blue far above, curving over them. The engines gave a few more sputters as the energy blazing through it finally took out the last generator, the heat building in the room as the fires licked just below the deck they stood on as the ship started to tilt back. 

Reaper let go of the controls reaching to grasp Genji's shoulder, “Let's go!” 

The cyborg didn't hesitate, quickly hitting the switch to start activating the shields before turning to grasp onto Reaper's hand as the two dropped back to the small emergency exit tucked in the corner. The mercenary grasped onto the handle of the door, muscles straining as he forced it open letting a rush of frigidly cold air pouring in with a howl, adding to the concinnity of sound thrumming all around them. 

The usual cloak of the mercenary was gone, no doubt having been materialized away to reduce drag, instead he was now only wearing the form fitting body armor as he braced himself on the open door. He managed to pull himself into the parachute before reaching out a hand to Genji. Their fingers brushed just as the first explosion rocked the ship, barely contained by the shields. However, there was enough of a shock wave to send them both out the door and into open air. The second explosion was larger, roaring in the still air with enough of an aftershock to send Genji hurtling briefly head over hears in the air. That shock just made the fall more disorienting and Genji flailed out, trying to steady himself, his vision reeling as he tried to get his bearings. The ship was above, a slowly flowering inferno of red and blue, the energies of the disruptor ripping apart the shield now as it melted down, sending streaking, burning blooms across the sky to eventually plummet downward. 

The whole scene seemed to be in slow motion, the sound muffled by the whistling wind about him as gravity dragged him back down. Frost was starting to form already along his metal body on the outside in small meticulous patterns, glinting in the light of the sun setting above the sea of clouds he began to fall towards. A moment of panic took Genji as he tried to locate where Reaper was, for a single moment thinking he was still on that ship, trapped. He managed to slow his descent some, rolling over in midair, scanning about the falling debris for some sign of Reaper. A sense of elation rushed through Genji as he spotted the familiar form of Reaper off to his left, his form spread out with a comfortable ease as if he had nothing to fear. 

Honestly though, of the two of them, Genji mused, he didn't have nothing to fear when he could turn to a mist. He on the other hand, could very well suffer some damage. The cyborg was not completely certain on how much damage his form could take, especially falling from the height they were. His systems were heating on the inside even as he was frigidly cold to touch on the outside. It was a strange sensation but for now, nothing to be of concern. He tightened his stance, trying to move closer to where Reaper was. 

Catching sight of Genji, the mercenary moved towards him, showing more ease with the movement. No doubt his training in the military had aided him in how to handle movement while in air and soon a gauntleted hand found Genji's own, grasping onto it again as they fell together. 

The sounds of explosion had subsided, leaving only the quietly falling debris around them like metal confetti. There was, for now, nothing but the two of them falling through whistling air,the sun painting the sky in a brilliant, endless blue, unmarred above and a white carpet below of clouds that looked like they would be firm enough to catch them both. 

Everything had slowed down. For a moment, the entire world had melted away, earth and sky becoming one single horizon and the only thing real to Genji was the grip of his lover's hand in his own The smile bloomed across Genji's face, building with the thrill of victory already burning inside and the elation that came with that thought.

They had won.

They had survived and beaten back the odds, taking victory from the jaws of defeat as the saying went. Just like the Overwatch of old, they had managed a miracle.

They passed through the clouds, the moisture clinging to them, pass. In mere moments, they came out the other side, the earth now appearing below, speckled with forest lands and small spots of lights from the pockets of civilization spread around. Genji looked towards Reaper, giving a squeeze of his hand. The mercenary only pulled on their held hands, tugging the cyborg closer to him and pulling him into an embrace in the air. 

Genji laughed although the sound echoed only in his own ears, swallowed up by the rushing air before it could reach Reaper. The peace seemed too fragile, too precious to break with shouted words. It was something to experience.

Something to hold onto.

Reaper shifted as the ground continued to rush up, the moving dots on the horizon starting to morph into the slowly moving shapes of cars, looking like toys on lonely winding tracks from this height. He pulled the cord to release the parachute. It shot out, catching them briefly as it flared before the straps gave a snap, pulling lose and sending them tumbling head over heels briefly.

The peace completely shattered, flying away with the parachute already being taken by the wind.

The mercenary gripped onto Genji tighter, a snarl of nearly shouted curses spilling from his mouth as he kept Genji close to his body, rolling over in midair. The ground was rushing up, the jagged peaks of mountains raised upwards like worn teeth with trees nestled around their base like diseased, green gums. Reaper tensed as they streaked lower. He turned over so his back was to the ground, hunching up his shoulders and doing all he could to cradle the cyborg against his body as the fell lower, streaking towards the mountain. 

The first outcropping of rocks slammed against Reaper's back and he let out a snarling hiss, pain clear in his tone but he didn't let go, desperately hanging on as he slammed into a second outcropping of rocks. Both impacts slowed the descent some but Reaper's grip was slipping now, the pain no doubt more than he was letting on. A finally ridge of the mountain was hit though and both cyborg and mercenary came crashing down harder now, skidding over the ground before going over a short cliff, tumbling further down over rocks and scraggly brush that dared to put roots in the upper crags of the mountain. 

A particular jarring smash against a couple of rocks finally broke Reaper's hold on Genji, the cyborg tumbling free, head over heels, metal platting screeching against rocks as he collided against unforgiving rock. Genji flailed, metal fingers scrabbling to get a hand hold against the inertia that kept him bouncing along the near sheer face of the mountain like a rag doll. 

The entire world devolved into a spinning mess of limbs and stone, crashing head long even as he tried to stop his momentum. The visor was flashing, a crack forming against the glass, shorting out the picture in sudden bursts of static. He was practically blind other than brief pictures of the world, only adding to the nausea of the situation. Then the sensation of free fall took him again, his flickering visor giving him a mixed garble of pictures as a scream ripped out of his throat before he plunged down, crashing over a few more ridges before plunging into the mountain lake.

The water silenced the world and his visor sputtered out, plunging him into darkness. 

The lack of hearing and sight coupled with the lack of touch in that moment other than the oppressive cold water gave way to a surge of panic in Genji. He flailed, both hands quickly rising to the visor prying it off to allow him to see into the murky water. Still, it was hard to tell what was up and down for a brief moment before the trickle of light high above, a shimmering halo in the water lent itself as a guide up through the water once more.

Genji breached the surface with a deep gasp, treading the water as he took in his surroundings before dragging himself towards the shoreline. He was weary. So very weary. His systems were practically running on fumes, barely pushing him along as he dragged himself out of the water before dropping to his knees panting and from there, collapsing to his stomach against the earth, eyes closing tight. The battle and the harrowing fall he and Reper had just done had robbed the last of his energy and the adrenaline had run its course in his veins. He closed his eyes, his mind wanting to simply allow him a few seconds of sleep before a sudden sharp thought cut 

through the haze in his mind causing him to jerk up, eyes wide in alarm, “Reaper!” 

There was no response, just the echo of his voice in the still air and the call of birds within the woodlands hugging the edge of the lake. Genji gritted his teeth, pushing himself up to at least his knees, trembling as he sat back, “Reaper!” he tried again.

He raised a hand to his com unit, tapping it without luck. There was no response, not even static. Genji cursed in Japanese before gritting his teeth and forcing himself to his feet. There were cliffs before him, with a scattering of woodland above and a quick glance showed no paths upwards, at least none that Gneji thought he could handle.

Right now he felt more like falling over and laying on the ground for a long nap. It was through sheer will power now that he was pushing himself forward, staggering along the beach and stumbling over anything in his path. Every step had him gritting his teeth, just focusing on the simple action of putting one foot in front of the other. He had barely gotten halfway down the beach before there was a surge from the water. He jumped, the action enough to send Genji crashing onto his rear with a wince.

Reaper just stare at him from where he had crawled out of the lake before flopping onto his side like a beach whale, blood and black ichor oozing from hundreds of wounds, “...you're okay,”

“Reaper!” Genji surged forward on all fours, getting to his side and looking over the wounds with a pained expression, “You're hurt what if-”

“I won't die. I'll heal in time easily enough,” Reaper murmured dully, “I would appreciate it though if you would push my spine back into place,”

The cyborg blinked before gingerly feeling up the mercenary's back. It was easy to see the lower part was completely out of line, nearly broken in two and accounted for the lack of movement the man was experiencing from the hips down. Gritting his teeth, Genji lay his hands on the bone, glancing up at Reaper, “You sure this-”

“Widowmaker does this all the time. I can heal it better when it is more in the right place,” Reaper murmured, his body tensing up, “Just do it quickly,”

Genji nodded before closing his eyes and pushing down hard. Reaper let out a snarl of pain, shuddering before black smoke started to swirl up, the nanintes going to work to adjust the positioning, “Would be easier if there was something to-”

Reaper's words were cut off as he was dragged up by his shoulders by Genji and his mask hastily knocked off only for a rough, rushed kiss to be pressed to his constantly shifting monstrous face. The red eyes widened and blinked in what was an attempt at shock, opening and closing sporadically over his features before he wrapped his arms to pull Genji into a more secure kiss.

The joy could not be contained though and the kiss quickly became sloppy again, filled with a joyful passion and the sheer relief of once more escaping death's clutches. A broken laugh escaped Genji, filled with relief as the whole situation crashed down around them.

They were alive and had won. They had stopped Talon in their tracks and removed a dangerous weapon from the playing field. They had, together, done something amazing.

And here he was in the afterglow of their heroics in the arms of his brooding dark knight getting that happy ending his brother had always mocked him for liking. 

The laughter continue to spill from Genji's lips as he hugged onto Reaper tight, grinning wide, “And you said we couldn't do it,” he whispered.

“Good thing I didn't put money on that statement then,” Reaper murmured, rubbing Genji's back comfortingly, “How are we getting back?”

Genji paused, a little of his elation dimming at the thought, “That is a very good question,” He murmured, “I can barely get going. That is what I get for not fueling properly before leaving I suppose,”

“I need a half a day before I'm walking anywhere,” Reaper murmured, “Limping like a wounded deer though is doable,”

“Did you happen to see anything nearby while falling out of the sky and crashing into a mountain?” Geni asked with a slight smile, “I think I saw a mountain goat or two on the way down,”

Reaper gave a snort, “Hard to pay attention when you are blacking out,” He paused, hissing some as he reached a hand into his hood, pulling out a flopping fish and tossing it back into the water, “My comm unit is out, is yours-”

“No response,” Genji sighed pulling away slightly, “At the very least, I do not think any of the local predators will find us very appetizing,” 

“Not unless there is metal eating omnic grizzly bears,” Reaper responded dully, looking up at the woodlands, “Those were a thing,”

Genji just gave Reaper an incredulous look, “Omnic eating grizzly bears. Seriously? At least tell a convincing lie Reaper,”

“They ate omnics to recycle parts. Dead ones usually. Look like bears or at least big like bears so we called them grizzly bears. Some are still known to roam the woods,” Reaper shakily rose to his feet, “Those might find us edible,”

“Well, if one tries to bite at me, I hope they choke on whatever leg they take first,” Genji mumbled wearily rising to his feet as well, “So first things first, we should just start walking in any direction I guess,”

The mercenary nodded before he paused, shoulders hunching as he jerked his head up, staring up at the forest before them, “You hear that?”

Genji paused, tilting his head before faintly he heard it, a crashing sound like something large coming through the foliage at a rather frantic pace. He grimaced, bringing a hand to the handle of his sword, “If that is a giant omnic grizzly bear thing, Reaper, I swear-”

With a roar, a vehicle rushed out of the treeline, bouncing down over the cliff and coming to a screeching halt just at the water's edge. A ramshackle vehicle that was cleverly cobbled together from the escape pods with a smirking Torbjörn at the helm holding a beeping hand held device, “I told you I could track them!” he declared, looking over at McCree.

The cowboy shook his head, his features a bit pale as he shakily removed a hand from his head, “Remind me not to doubt you again. Also next time can you smooth out the ride a bit?”

Genji blinked before grinning wide, limping forward with a wave, “Well, fancy seeing you out here!”

“We weren't about to leave you out here loves!” Tracer responded, smiling wide, “Winston and Torbjörn locked onto your agent signal Genji. How are you still alive?!”

“Turns out Reaper is a pretty good break. At least his body is,” Genji responded, shaking his head. 

Reaper gave a snort, “More like mountains are a very good thing to hit to help stop your fall,”

“Genji!” Hanzo roared, already scrambling out of the vehicle, eyes wide with rage, “When I get my hands on you, I swear!” 

The cyborg paled some and quickly turned around, starting to hobble off at best he could as if he could escape his brother chasing after him, “Hanzo! Please! I'm wounded! I thought we were past you trying to kill me!”

Hanzo didn't answer, quickly catching up to Genji and grabbing the taller man about the waist and hefting him up into a crushing bear hug, snarling, “You are the worse brother imaginable! I absolutely hate you Genji, you horrible, thoughtless, precious, dearest, damn brother I have!”

Genji gave a grin as his brother proceeded tighten his hug, managing to get an arm lose to pat his brother on the back, “There, there anija. You should know that annoying younger brothers never die. They keep coming back to annoy you again,”

“Give me a damn heart attach is what you do! All the grey hairs I have are your fault!” Hanzo retorted, refusing to let go.

Reaper tilted his head at the scene before turning towards the group as Jack stepped forward, coming up to clasp the mercenary on the shoulder, offering a small smile, “Just like old times, isn't it?”

“You mean me doing all the work? Pretty much,” Reaper drawled but raised a hand to touch Jack's shoulder, “Feels almost like old times, yeah,”

“Not quiet like old times! Not yet!” Reinhardt boomed, limping forward, using his hammer as a makeshift crutch, “After such a glorious battle and finish, we should celebrate such a victory!”

“Yeah! And a group picture!” Tracer added, eyes wide as she clapped her hands together, “We haven't taken even one of the new team!”

A faint smile touched Mercy's lips, “We haven't have we?”

“Probably because we haven't felt much like a team,” McCree put in before looking over the group, “Not until now,”

Genji gave a grin as he finally manage to wriggle out of his brother's grip, stumbling over to catch the side of the vehicle next to where Zenyatta sat, the cyborg grinning, “I say we take one now while you are all still sober,”

“An excellent plan Genji,” Zenyatta concurred, “I do think it would be hard for me to be a designated driver with only one arm operational. Not unless, of course, I want to try and drive this vehicle like I am, how do they say, cruising the scene?”

Tracer let out a laugh, shaking her head, “That would be a sight to see! Omnic monk riding dirty with his crew on the mean streets of some major city, music blasting,”

“The sound of new age relaxing melodies blasting you mean,” Zenyatta put in, a touch of humor to his voice, “Embrace tranquility mother-uh mothers. Let's not reduce ourselves to such uncouth use of language,”

Reinhardt's booming laughter filled the air as he moved to stand behind the vehicle, leaning in to fix them all with a grin, “Well, what are we waiting for? This requires a picture now! We are all at our best, flushed with victory!”

Winston chuckled, moving to lounge up on the back of the last pod, “Tracer? Would you be so kind?”

“On it!” The young woman smiled, taking out her cellphone.

Genji reached to tug Reaper over and with Jesse's help, cornered him between the two of them to keep him from going anywhere. Jack leaned to the side, his expression amused as Mercy propped up next to him, still covered in scorch marks from her harrowing escape from death with Reinhardt's help. Zenyatta moved to half kneel behind Genji, resting his good elbow on top his student's head to flash a peace sign while Hanzo leaned in, putting an arm around Jesse who Genji swore went red in the face at the action. 

Carefully Tracer set up the shot, on a crop of rocks. As soon as she had the cellphone placed where she wanted and had it standing on its own to take the shot she looked up with a smile giving a thumbs up, “All right loves, say cheese!”

Genji smiled wide, flashing his own peace sign with his master, while Reaper just crossed his arms as always, “chīzu!” 

Tracer was at their side, double thumbs up as the camera flashed, capturing the first picture of the new Overwatch team at last. It would be the first of many though to be taken that night as the real party was about to begin. 

Party though was not really the word to describe it as much as a drunken, loud, celebration that had everyone's spirits riding even higher than the flames of the bonfire they had set just outside the small cabin rented from the campground they had come across on their return back.

Genji sat back, shoulder to shoulder with Reaper, grinning wide as he watched his brother and Jesse try to out sing each other, both singing rather poorly, to the song coming off the radio. The two were staggering and careening around as if the world didn't exist, a half dozen beers and a bottle of shared whiskey already in their veins. Really it was so strange to see Hanzo let lose but for the first time in a long time, he was free of duties and also free of his guilt.

The forgiveness granted to him had finally been accepted, not out a sense of appeasement, but with a sense of relief. He had found his redemption. Just that thought alone had Genji smiling as he watched his brother nearly stumble his own feet and into Reinhardt's lap. The large man wouldn't have mind, already slumped back, snoring loudly enough to no doubt scare any wild animals far away.

Mercy was at his side, half asleep herself, watching the two drunk dancers with a touch of a smile while Tracer sat beside her, yelling out encouragements to keep Jesse and Hanzo at her antics. 

Zenyatta and Winston sat to the side with Torbjörn and Jack, the four involved in a card game of sorts and from the expression on the scientist and engineer's face, it seemed the monk was winning quiet a bit. For his part, Jack looked more amused by the delight of the monk every time he put down a winning hand in poker. Genji could only chuckle at the sight. No doubt his master was having a good time learning the new games and interacting with others. It seemed to be a small pleasure the monk relished being able to find. The cyborg turned his head some to nuzzle into Reaper's shoulder, smiling softly.

“Did you think we would ever get this far?” He asked quietly.

“Not really,” Reaper murmured, “It all feels sort of surreal when just a few months ago I wanted to kill all of you,”

“Just a few months,” Genji couldn't keep the smile off his face, “Hard to believe it has been that long. Can you remember how it all started?”

Reaper tilted his head some, “You strapped to a table looking like a lab rat and me just wanting to kill you?” he said at length, “Only to find out I can actually touch you,”

He raised a hand, letting the gauntlet slip away in black smoke to run his bare fingers down the side of Genji's face, “I guess it started with touch,”

The cyborg lifted a hand to run his own metal fingers over Reaper's own, letting the pad of his thumb trace over the cruel looking claws the mercenary had for nails, “Just a few touches and then we found so much more. We've been through a lot,” he paused before dropping his gaze to his feet, “But I feel like we aren't about to get the perfect happy ending where you stay, are we?”

A soft, almost sad chuckle escaped Reaper as he leaned in, “Was I that easy to read?”

“I know you and you've been quiet all night, barely talking to everyone and keep looking towards the road. Once everyone is asleep, I'm sure you'll be gone,” Genji murmured, leaning in tighter against his lover, “Why?”

“Because, things have changed,” Reaper wrapped an arm about Genji's shoulders, “And there is still something I need to do now. One last mission I have to finish,”

Genji gave a small nod, “I figured as much. You've changed, but still, why can't I help you with that? Why not let all of us help you?” he asked quietly, “You don't have to do it alone anymore,” 

The mercenary was silent, turning to stare at the fire for a long time before letting out a sigh, “Because in this, I'm the only one who can do it. I've got on chance to make this one thing right before I can see myself as you do,” He paused before turning to the cyborg, raising a hand to touch the side of his face, “ Genji, do you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” He murmured, wrapping his arms about the other man's waist, “Why wouldn't I?”

“Because sometimes I don't even trust myself,” Reaper let out a sigh, gathering Genji closer in his arms, pressing his masked face against his neck, “I'll come back. I'll try not to take long,”

A small smile crept across Genji's features as he leaned into the embrace, one hand raising to cup the side of Reaper's face lightly, “I'll be waiting for you along with everyone else. You have a place here,”

The mercenary nodded, one hand moving to push aside his mask before leaning in to gentle kiss Genji. He was leaving, but it was only a temporary thing, a small divergence. That is what Reaper told himself as he kissed Genji and tried to ignore the voice in his, the sibilant hiss of the AI.

“This is dangerous. He is going to find out. He always finds out,” The buzzing voice in his mind murmured, “We are taking a risk that threatens our self preservation for the sake of another. Why?”

He pushed that thought away, holding onto Genji like a life line as he kissed him, just wanting one more night with him, one more night to touch, to experience, to feel like he was still human. 

Just for a little more, he could ignore what he was going to do. What he had to do.

He didn't want this last moment with Genji to be tainted by the bitter taste of guilt that he was sure was thick in his malformed mouth.

Still, with every caress and deep kiss, of every press of passion and every pass of desperate hands over bare skin and metal synthetics, Reaper told himself that there was no other way. No other way. For now he wanted to forget it all and forget that new sense of morality that was pushing him away from Genji and back into an old life that no longer felt right. He let himself surrender into Genji's warmth and comfort completely, mind, body, and soul for this last evening together.

But it would be temporary. There would be more to share. That is what Reaper kept telling himself. 

 

He left in the morning before Genji was even awake, leaving his lover blissfully asleep in the bed, sprawled out peacefully. Every step away he promised himself he would be back as soon as he finished this last bit of business. It was just finishing one more job and tying up the last lose end.

No one got left behind after all. Overwatch didn't leave their own behind, not anymore. He knew too well what it felt like to be abandoned by everyone. There was one person who he refused to let taste that after everything she had suffered through already. 

The ride back to the old apartment was long but nothing had changed. There was still the old furniture that was barely used and the same piles of discarded junk piled around. No one had bother to disturb the place and the rent had been paid out ahead of time for a year as Reaper was prone to do. With his lifestyle, sometimes he wasn't back to this hole for months.

This time though, it would be the last time he came back to this place. It was easy enough to collect up all the assorted junk, mostly parts for guns and other electronics. The last he took in was the old laptop which contained hundreds of sensitive records he had lifted from Blackwatch servers. The sort of files he didn't want individuals like Sombra to be picking up and whispering into the ears of those who would listen. Their friendship was a strange one but he wouldn't put it pass the hacker to always put her own agenda before any personal feelings she might harbor. 

Some things he liked to keep solely to himself. In particular projects that had nearly been completed that would have turned Blackwatch into something greater and even more dangerous than Overwatch ever could be and in the hands of a group like Talon, the recipe for global disaster. 

“I figured I would find you here eventually. You always come back to your hole,”

Reaper didn't bother to turn around as he straightened up, giving a snort, “Widowmaker. Its been a while,”

“A while for us to meet in person, yes,” The sniper remarked, leaning in the doorway, “I suppose you are mad at me?”

“A bit,” Reaper remarked, “You allowed Genji to get involved with Amartya's schemes,”

She looked away briefly, “I follow my orders, unlike you. Talon has sent me to give an ultimatum Reaper. Either you report back with the payload you were sent after in hand or I am to terminate you. Your actions haven't gone unnoticed and I can't keep assuring them you know what you are doing,”

Reaper glanced over his shoulder at her, “Would you really try to kill me if I say I won't report back?”

The sniper refused to look at him, staring hard at the wall, “I would follow my orders but this would be a rare hunt I would not enjoy,”

Reaper turned around fully, striding over to her, “You won't need to try. I'll go back and deliver what was promised,”

His response caused Widowmaker to look up in surprise, pushing herself off the doorway to stand in his way, “Really? After everything you did, just like that, you return back to Talon? What about-”

“Amelia,” Reaper interrupted, straightening his shoulders, “When have I ever cared about anyone or anything in all the time you've known me?”

The woman stared at him before her gaze soften, dropping it to the ground and stepping aside, “You act like you don't but you always do, in your own way,” She let out a tired laugh, “But still, you are returning to Talon. What you will hand over would be considered an act of treason. What is worth this kind of betrayal?”

Reaper paused, only for a moment before stepping out the door, “You know that answer. Don't act dumb,”

Widowmaker followed after him, her shoulders tensing as she looked away, anger on her face, “I'm the dumb one? If what I believe to be true is true then I think you are wasting your time, Reaper. If you came back for me, if you think getting into Talon and betraying this new Overwatch just to save me is worth it, then you are the one who's intelligence is to be questioned,”

That earned a small chuckle from Reaper that only served to have Widowmaker scowling even more, “I've seen a lot of stupid things of late. I'm realizing you got to sometimes put your faith in hoping for the best of things,”

“Genji really has changed you, hasn't he?” her expression softened some as they exited the building side by side, “You are almost sounding like a friend,”

“Don't get use to it,” Reaper responded, coming to a halt, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat, “What's the situation then at Talon?”

“Not much care over the loss of the disruptor to be honest. The lead voices of the project have gone silent. All focus is now on the god engine project,” Widowmaker supplied, “I'll be taking you with me to Australia where we rendezvous with your new handler,”

Reaper nodded, “And who is that?”

“Who do you think? They are putting you on a tight lease,” She closed her eyes, “If you are even thinking of betraying Talon again, it won't end well for you. They are done giving you freedoms. You supply what they want, you'll just buy the mercy of not being killed. They want you under Yut's command. He has a gift for drawing out secrets and information,” 

“We will see. We both know he can't dick around in my head,” Reaper growled, “Regardless, I got what they asked for even if it seems something pointless to snatch,” 

The mercenary lifted a hand, letting the smoke drift over it as he materialized a familiar gold orb in hand, worn with age and looking far older than it really was. The surface was meticulous crafted with designs sacred to those followers of the Iris. The orbs that were a gift to Zenyatta thought to be lost in the heist. He tossed it nonchalantly up and down before letting it dissipate again, glancing to Widowmaker, “I did what I was told. I picked them up when tracking Genji's progress that night,” 

“You don't have to go,” she murmured, as her ship slowly descended, the back port opening, “You go now back to them, I'll tell them you gave me the slip. I'll begin hunting you another time. You step into that ship though, you are giving up everything. Whatever hair-brain scheme you think you have is going to fail Reaper. They are going to make you into a weapon they can use one way or another,”

The mercenary stared long and hard at her before turning and stalking resolutely towards her ship without a hint of hesitation, shoulders straight and walking like he was a commander on a mission, “I think you need to put more faith in what things can be made possible,” he growled.

She stood there watching him go before dropping her gaze to the ground, closing her eyes. He was a fool, more so than usual, but in his words there was something else that made her believe that maybe, just maybe he knew what he was doing. That his betrayal and desire to somehow save her was possible.

But what was there to save really? 

She sighed and walked after him. 

The future was looking more uncertain and something, it seemed, was just about to begin.


End file.
